Ethon - F'ed Up
by DH Hana
Summary: The Dogs of War, known for being blood thirsty and completely off their rocker. Ethon's more than happy to carry that reputation. How can a man who has feared letting anyone know anything about him deal with a girl living with him? Worse when she has a history with the dangerous and mysterious Nick. Everything really is F'ed up.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: I try to make my notes all at the beginning and the end so that you don't loose the flow of the story.**

 **For those new to my stories, I write all of my Dark-Hunter fanfics as novella length continuations of the series, as best as I can. I try to avoid making any guesses as to where Sherilynn Kenyon is headed with her series, or over arching story lines. Instead, I simply wrote stories for some of my favorite characters who have yet to have their stories told, so I do guess at their backstory if it hasn't been shared in the DH books yet. Ms Kenyon could easily shatter each one of my stories as new books come out. And, that has in fact happened as I created a story that included Hecate as a character. Then Dragonmark came out and she is referenced in the book. It throws her whole role in my Achilles story out the door in so far as cannon goes. So, please take some of it with a grain of salt. These are just my attempts at giving more characters their happily connected relationships in one form or another.**

 **Also be warned that I do write with Ms Kenyon's foundations of sex, violence and abuse. Though I may cuss a bit more. Depending on the story. They are all rated M for these reasons.** **And be aware that there may be SPOILERS if you have not read the DH series up to Dragonmark.**

 **I started these stories two years ago and my writing has improved. I hope to spend some time going back to my earlier stories and seriously working on rewriting (not content, but fixing grammar and any major cannon issues as they popped in). I also gave all of the stories dates just to help me remember who was where as I wrote them, as several of the stories do overlap a fair amount.**

 **This story, for example has references back to my Deimos story and the Morginne story. There may be a few other one line ties back to other stories, but those have the largest references. It is not critical to read those stories first however, there would be some spoilers if you chose to read this one and then go back, and you may not catch who characters are as I created many of my own characters for these stories. So, headed into this story, please know that the main female character is one that I created. As are references to Jenna, Ramsey, Korina, Calix, Joseph Bera, and the Voodoo Loa.**

 **It took me a while to finish this story for personal reasons, so my apologies to anyone who was waiting.**

 **If you would like to read my other stories in chronological order, they are:**

 **Achilles (ancient to modern), Deimos, Colt, Kell, Phobos, Morginne, Remi (has a broader timeline), Ethon (falls during Remi)**

 **If you would wish to read things in clumped information, the order is:**

 **Achilles and Remi can be read completely independently, before or after the other clumps. Clump one- Deimos and Phobos. Clump two- Colt and Kell. Clump three- Morginne and Ethon.**

 **So, enough with my crap, on to the story...**

* * *

March 7, 2017

From the darkness, she could hear the mumbled sounds of a city around her. Her whole body tingled and coursed paths of power over her skin as her mind swirled in chaos. It took several moments before things slowly started to gather back together, into some semblance of control. The sounds of cars, people talking, and even the rustling of someone or something digging around in garbage cans. The scent of damp earth, garbage and exhaust hung in the humid air, only slightly overshadowed by the aroma of warm food, spices and beer. The sun felt warm on her face despite the colder temperature and chilly breeze that whipped at her hair.

She very slowly opened her eyes.

"Where in the hell am I?" Whispered from her lips as she looked around. Confusion set in as she found herself in an alleyway. Nothing about any of it felt like a dream. What she experienced at that moment felt… real. Despite the flashes of images and words through her head. Voices that called for her to do something. Yet, she couldn't make it out.

Unsure of what had happened, she stepped out of the alley toward the street. There, she turned a small circle as she looked around her. Reading every sign, she hoped to find something to explain where she was. License plates on cars mostly read "Louisiana". Buildings were mostly red brick, older looking. None of the business names seemed familiar. Until she completed her circle and saw a sign for the building next to her.

"Sanctuary. Home of the Howlers" Read the sign. The image of a motorcycle on a hill, silhouetted by the moon, was painted on. Motorcycles lined the street in front of it. A biker bar. Great.

However, something about the place touched on a vague memory. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't hold on to it. Just as quickly as it came, it disappeared as pain racked her mind and dropped her to her knees. "This can't be happening." She moaned as she clutched her head.

She needed help.

Digging into some internal source of strength, the girl forced herself to stand and move toward the bar.

There should be help there. Right?

Her eyes widened, as she approached a tall bouncer outside of the bar. His muscular frame leaned against the bricks. His shoulder length curly blond hair was pulled back into a low ponytail. Dark sunglasses covered his eyes. He appeared relaxed, almost asleep. However, she knew better than to believe that.

Slightly trembling, she walked her way over to the bouncer. Her body ached in sexual tension. She wanted release. Yet, she couldn't understand why. All she knew is that he was not the man that she craved.

He tilted his head down. "Can I help you?"

She stared at him for a moment. Her mouth gaping as she sensed a predatory aura from the man. He was dangerous. With a quick glance past the saloon style doors as someone left, she noticed most people in that bar were dangerous… and yummy as hell.

His lips slid into a bit a smirk. "As flattering as the staring is. I'm taken." He chuckled.

She looked at him again and blinked. Trying hard not to completely collapse into panic or jump into his arms with wanton lust. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. I,I- I…" The girl's voice was barely above a whisper. Her eyes started racing everywhere. Was she any safer going into that bar than taking time to go somewhere else?

Could she hold her lust back from so many delicious men? Her mind knew that she didn't want to sample that naughtiness, no matter how her body cried for it.

The man's eyebrows scrunched together over his sunglasses. "You alright? What's your name?"

Her eyes widened further. Oh God! Her name? What was her name? Why couldn't she remember her name?

Where was she from? Where was she at that moment? How did she get there? What happened before she got there? Who could she call?

Shit, she couldn't remember anything!

She fought the tears that wanted to well in her eyes as she backed away from the intimidating man at the bar. Lost in sudden fear and confusion. The girl turned and ran down the street. She only made it twenty feet before she collapsed from the searing pain in her head.

The voices wouldn't stop. Demanding that she seduce her pray.

She was only vaguely aware as warm strong arms lifted her up and carried her away. The pain was too much for her to fight against the movement.

* * *

"Can you tell me anything about her?" A deep male voice asked.

Another voice, heavily laced with a French accent and a touch of Southern drawl responded back. "Nothing. She showed up out front and seemed to have a complete mental break down, then ran off and collapsed."

"Quinn, you should've called for an ambulance." A female voice scolded. "Carson shouldn't be treating a human in here." Her voice was low and controlled. Human. Why would anyone refer to another as a human? It set off her confusion and panic again.

"Well, she was unconscious and had absolutely no I.D., or wallet, or money. I thought the doc could look at her first. See if it's worth calling." He defended.

The female growled

The girl tried to stay quiet. Hide the fact that she was waking up. The woman's voice still rang in her ears. Human. She really tried to stay quiet until they left. However, it didn't last long.

"I know you are awake, miss." The first voice said.

Eyes slowly opened to see the bouncer from in front of the bar, flanked by a beautiful woman that looked like she could be the bouncer's sister, and a lythe and serious looking man with rich russet skin and sharp features.

"How are you feeling?" The man to the right asked. His dark eyes felt more warm and welcoming. With genuine concern. "My name is Carson. I'm a doctor. So, Quinn brought you to me when you collapsed."

The girl didn't say anything. Her eyes creased as her body sizzled at the masculinity of the men around her. Why was her body reacting like that? Fear started to spike once again.

"Shhh. No one here will hurt you child. Can you tell me your name? How you were feeling when you collapsed? Has it happened before?"

"I don't know." The soft voice barely escaped her lips.

Carson sighed. "To which part?"

Her eyes darted everywhere as visions flowed through her mind.

He could see that she was too scared to open up so Carson ushered Aimee and Quinn out of his clinic.

Once outside, they tried to debate the best course of action for the girl.

"Carson..." Aimee started. "It's dangerous to keep her here."

"There's nothing visible. It could be something as simple as a migraine headache. There's no need for an ambulance for that. Please give me a chance." He paused. "However, if she doesn't calm down, I'll have to sedate her. That just delays treatment. Let her calm down so I can talk to her and get her on her way."

Aimee growled. "Just call an ambulance and take her to a human hospital. They're used to treating homeless girls, I'm sure."

Quinn shook his head. "She's not homeless. Her clothes and shoes are high end enough and in good enough condition, I don't think she's homeless."

Aimee glared at her brother. "And when did you become a fashionista?"

He rolled his eyes. "I do have a mate and plenty of nieces. I buy them clothes and stuff. I am not saying that girl shops at Neiman Marcus or anything like that. But I looked at buying those same knee high biker boots for Becca for her birthday. They're over two hundred dollars. Her black dress and grey hooded jacket thing look like something some of our nieces would wear. And you know how they shop."

"Alright." Aimee relented. "Not homeless. But still human."

Carson sighed again. "Just let me know when you make a decision. I'm going to check on the girl."

The door opened and he stopped dead in his tracks. The girl was gone. How in the hell did a human girl get out of a room with no windows, only one door that they all stood in front of, and no vents wide enough for her to fit through?

* * *

Ethon Stark epitomized everything that a person would think of in a fierce ancient warrior. Blood thirsty. Aggressive. Dominating. Womanizing. And stubborn enough to expect to get his way all the time.

Ehh. Why not?

He was exactly that. An ancient warrior. An immortal ancient warrior. A Dark-Hunter.

Trained by the Spartans. Battle hardened. Wealthy. Good looking if he did say so himself. Charming… when he wanted to be.

And he had spent thousands of years perfecting his deadly skills.

The sun had just set as he left his three story townhouse in the French Quarter to head over to the home of one Nick Gautier. The annoying punk that Ethon was charged with trying to train and keep a general eye on. Like that was really working all that well. Some days, Ethon actually liked him. Most…

There was something seriously off about that guy.

He was a new Dark-Hunter. But there was something more. Something sinister. Powerful. And not all that controlled.

As if to prove the point, the door to Nick's home opened just as Ethon walked up. No one was there. It simply opened. That meant that Nick knew he was there and that he was trying to show off his powers. Ethon huffed as he walked up to the door. However, he stopped as something caught his eye.

The girl ran down a street. It was so full of people, music, and cheer. It seemed vaguely like some place she should know. But she wouldn't slow down to look more closely.

She didn't dare stop. She wanted to ask for help. Hell, she even passed police officers who just watched her with caution and asked if she was alright. No! Of course not!

She had quickly realized that they couldn't see what chased her. It was official. She was certifiably insane, running from a demon that only she could see. But somehow, he had showed up in the clinic where she had been. He took her from there in the blink of an eye.

Or had she ran off on her own? She couldn't remember anything in between. Of course, she couldn't remember anything before she opened her eyes in that alley next to the bar. So, that wasn't much of an argument.

Then she glanced down at her arm where her sleeve was torn to expose three jagged cuts pulled their way across her forearm. The pattern looked like it was at an angle that she could not have cut herself. In her head, she knew that it was from the demon's claws as she fought to get away. Yet, she couldn't trust her own mind.

She stumbled as pain lacerated her head once again. Clinging to a wrought iron fence, she pulled herself up to run once again. Only, she crashed into a wall. To her surprise, the wall reached out and caught her.

She looked up briefly to see a pair of dark sunglasses framed by a sea of dark blond.

"What've you found?" A rich Cajun drawl asked as another man slid up next to the first. The second man glared at the girl.

Her eyes widened. "Malachai."

Slowly, she lost consciousness.

"Oh, this just gets better and better." Nick's sarcasm could cut through ice. "I'll take the girl. You deal with the demon chasing after her." He said to Ethon.

Ethon shook his head. "What demon?"

No sooner had he asked the question, then he went flying backwards against a wall.

Nick sighed as he laid the unconscious girl down quickly. "Fine then. You take the girl and I will deal with the demon that apparently you can't see."


	2. Chapter 2

"Seriously you two…" Ethon growled exasperated. "I spent six years fighting outside the walls of Troy over the bickering of two whiny men. I don't really give a shit as to what all of your issues are about. But we have a human girl being chased by a demon that I couldn't see and then she said something about Malachai and you both seem to know what that is. But I don't. So my question is how does the girl? And what does that mean for us?"

Growls echoed around the room. Neither Nick, nor their boss Acheron had any patience for being dressed down. Both could seriously put up a damned bloody fight if they took offense to Ethon's reprimands. But fucking hell if he cared. They bickered worse than an old married couple.

Acheron started to open his mouth to put Ethon into his place when a small whimper came from the girl. Closing his mouth, he glared at the Greek Dark-Hunter. Ethon was a hot head who didn't always think things through. He was raised on pain and anger. So, he had little concern for his own well being. An attribute that only became worse after his death, when the goddess Artemis responded to his cries of betrayal and offered him his vengeance for an eternity in service to her.

Dark-Hunters were typically a surly crew. Men and women who suffered in life, nearly unstoppable in death, and arrogant as fuck. Thousands of years, hunting the things that go bump in the night, with skill and added powers… well, it tended to go to their heads.

Yet, Acheron sacrificed everything for thousands of years, to keep them as safe as possible. Make sure they had funds, homes, assistance and protection, even a chance at gaining their soul back from the goddess so they could live and die a mortal life with a person they loved. Very few knew the extent of his sacrifices. Even fewer knew the reasons why.

Unfortunately, Nick knew just enough to think he was justified in his views and hatred of Acheron. Yet, he lacked the key points that would have given him understanding. Nick and Acheron had been best friends… once. Nick was a human boy who managed to weasel his way past Acheron's defenses and offer true friendship. Until Nick had made the mistake of taking home the wrong girl.

Acheron blamed himself for never telling Nick about Simi. He had wanted to keep that part of his life pure and protected. He never imagined that Nick would meet his daughter without him there to ease things. Then, learning that Nick had taken her virginity was more than the ancient man could handle. In an act of rage over his own fears, Acheron made a horrific mistake.

He knew better. He knew that his words affected fate. All it took was one moment of weakness and one sentence… Nick's life was changed forever. Acheron had never meant to curse his best friend. But with the nature of his powers, nothing could have stopped the fallout that came. Nick lost his mother, committed suicide, became a Dark-Hunter, and was triggered to become more. The Malachai. A demon of pure evil, meant to serve the primal god Noir in his quest to end the world and rebuild it in his image.

Despite the hatred for Acheron. Despite the natural anger and hatred that was harbored inside of him. Nick fought against his nature. He fought to do what was right. For no other reason, than his mother had raised him to be the better man who protected people. Cherise Gautier was a saint who loved her son with everything she had and gave a demon a chance at saving the world.

Nick was the reason that Ethon and several others were stationed in New Orleans. The Dogs of War were the most powerful and intense of the Dark-Hunters. Their sole focus was in guarding and training Nick. Even if they didn't know what Nick was. That was for their own safety as Noir searched for his pet.

Nick needed to learn. Learn how to control his powers. Learn about the world he had jumped into. But mostly, to learn to fight Noir. Each of the Dogs of War trained with him. Each with a skill to master.

If only Nick could let some of the hate go enough to focus. If only…

The girl whimpered once again as she rolled to clutch her head, successfully drawing Acheron's focus back to the issue at hand. Ethon was right. The important thing to figure out was how a human girl knew that Nick was the Malachai when his own guards didn't know.

As the Atlantean god Apostolos, Acheron was also the Final Fate. Something that not even Nick knew nor understood. Typically, when he looked at a person, he could see all that there was to a person. Their past, present and various possible futures. However, he couldn't see anything that had to do with his own fate. So, those close to him, who affected his future, they were blank from his view.

The girl, however, was neither.

When he looked at her, the visions were all jumbled and fragmented. Neither blank, nor informative. All he could really gather was that she had been captured by demons and her future was connected to Nick and to Ethon. He just didn't know how.

Acheron watched as she slowly sat up and looked around.

The girl's jaw dropped. The first time that she woke, she was watched by two very good looking men and a beautiful woman. So how did she end up being watched by three men that were practically sex gods? They were all insanely tall and obviously, very well built.

Her eyes were drawn toward the shortest of the group in front of her. He was one of the men from the street when she was running. He glared at her with onyx black eyes and dark brown hair. A strange tattoo marked his jaw in the design of a double bow and arrow. She stared at that mark. She should know it. She should know him.

However, as the lust grew in her body, her eyes roamed over more of him. Dressed in jeans and a red t-shirt, he would almost appear relaxed if it wasn't for the intensity of his eyes. The man almost made her cringe from the anger behind his glare. Yet, something drew her to him. Her body wanted to jump into his arms and rub herself against him until he was ready to pop. She fought with everything in her to not get off of the couch she was on and fulfill that fantasy. The lust was so strong, it was a painful need.

She closed her eyes and fought against the urges. Pain lanced through her head as she pushed herself not to start a porn movie marathon match with the stranger and his friends.

"Are you alright?" One of the men asked in a very unique and sensual accent. She had never heard a voice as deep and intoxicating. She glanced up to see that it was a goth kid that asked the question. He only looked to be in his early twenties.

The tallest of the bunch, he was dressed in black cargo pants covered in chains hanging between the various pockets, tucked into motorcycle boots with flames painted on, adding to his height. He wore no shirt under his leather jacket that had the sleeves painted like bright colored tattoos. His hair was long, dark purple, tied back into a ponytail. And he wore dark wrap around sunglasses. He radiated ferocious power and practically dripped sex appeal. What an odd mix. Yet, she found him more resistable than the first guy.

Then her eyes found the man that she had run into before she lost consciousness. Deep black eyes that could go on for eternity. Rich tawny skin. Dark blond waves that fell to his jaw line in a shaggy chic type of style. Long enough that her fingers itched to run through that hair. His face was chiseled perfection. Nicely packaged in black slacks and a black button downed shirt that had the sleeves rolled up to expose arms and hands that were obviously accustomed to serious work. She shivered as her mind flickered to thoughts of what those hands would feel like on her body.

Damn.

He was every bit as intimidating as the other two. However, there was a sudden rush of desire that coursed through her at his natural dominance. It competed with the almost magical pull that she felt toward the first guy.

The first was raw, magical, irrational, hunger.

The third was soothing, exhilarating, natural, desire.

Her breasts had grown heavy with need. Her nipples puckered. Her feminine core hummed with an ache that begged to be sated.

A slight blush tinged her cheeks before she looked down. What in the hell was wrong with her? The constant lust and voices calling for her to seduce someone were scaring the shit out of her.

"How are you feeling?" One of the men asked.

"I don't know." She whispered. Once again frustrated by being surrounded by strangers. Unsure if she could trust them. Though, she didn't notice anything out of place with her clothing. She didn't feel as though they had assaulted her as she was unconscious.

Ethon watched her as she processed her situation. She was obviously nervous and confused. Though she twitched and fidgeted in a way that appeared like she was uncomfortable in her own skin. Though he liked the subtle British accent that he caught in her few words. "What's your name? Why don't we start there."

She looked up at him. Panic crossed her eyes. She shook her head. "I don't know."

Nick scoffed. "Is that all you are going to say girl?"

"I-" She closed her mouth and shrugged. "All I remember was opening my eyes in some alley…" She paused. Unsure if she should really confide in the strangers. But she had to get help from someone. "I was near a bar. But the pain in my head was too much." She rubbed at her temples, trying to focus the images or push them away. "When I woke up, I was in a clinic of some kind. It was all weird."

"Then how did you end up running down Bourbon St. with some… one chasing you?" Nick asked.

Her eyes snapped up. "You saw him?"

His eyes narrowed. "Yes."

She shook her head. "No one else saw him. Not even the police that I passed. I thought I was going insane."

"Well, your pupils are dilated and you are twitching. I am sure that whatever drugs you took didn't help any." Nick growled.

Drugs? She couldn't remember anything before that alley. Perhaps she was just higher than a kite. It would explain the fucking voices that she couldn't stop.

Acheron shook his head and sat on the edge of the couch next to her. "We don't think you are insane. But we need to know what's going on."

Her mind raced as she tried to understand enough to even explain things.

"I don't really know what's going on. I don't know where I am. Who I am. Nothing. I just woke up in that alley, ended up in a clinic with someone named Carson, then that thing appeared in the clinic room with me and grabbed me. Next thing I know, I was in another alley and I kicked him in the balls before turning to run. That's how I got these." She pulled up her jacket sleeve to show the cuts across her right forearm.

Ethon hissed at the injuries. "I'll get the bandages."

Nick watched her closely. There was something familiar about her. He couldn't place it. Whatever it was, it nagged at him. Part of him wanted to chalk everything up to her being a human girl who got high and fell prey to a random demon out for a snack. But the fact that she called him Malachai was a very unlikely coincidence.

If they could just figure out what she knew, then they could probably convince her that it was all a bad trip and leave it at that. With that in mind, he squatted down in front of her.

She visibly pulled away. Not in fear of him, but almost as if she feared to touch him.

"Do you know who I am?" He asked.

She shook her head. Her eyes tightened in the corners as she fought through the pain of him being so close. She didn't want to lose control. If nothing else, she knew that. Something deep down told her that it would end badly if she gave in to the voices in her head and let the lust take over.

"What are you afraid of?" Nick asked as he reached out to caress her cheek.

The tenderness, the concern. They were touching. But the second he drew closer to her, the moment that he made contact with the skin of her cheek, the girl launched herself at him. The dam broke on her overwhelming lust. She was desperate to claim her prey. Her arms wrapped around his neck as her lips attacked his. Instinctively, she felt his power through his touch. She knew she found the Malachai. He was full of oily hatred and toxic evil, but it wasn't all he was.

Nick tried to pull back. He wasn't about to take advantage of a girl while she was high like that. And certainly not in front of an audience.

It took both Ash and Ethon to pull her off of Nick.

"Forget the bandaging. She should go back to Carson and get stitches." Acheron stated. "Ethon, why don't you take her? The fast way."

"Why me? Damn it Ash, this isn't Adventures in Babysitting." Acheron simply looked between Ethon and Nick, emphasizing that in fact, he really was a babysitter for the uncontrolled man next to him. And Acheron sure as hell wasn't sending Nick with her after she just lunged at him. "Fuck. You really are an ass sometimes."

"Wait. As much as I want Acheron to get the fuck out of my house, we still need answers." Nick growled. He lifted the girl's chin while Ethon held her firmly. As he looked in her eyes, a hint of recognition tugged at him. He knew her. Hell, he dated a lot of girls over the years. Gods only knew when and where he met her. But he had to know why she called him Malachai. "What do you know about the Malachai?"

She looked back up at him as flashes flooded her mind. She nearly doubled over in pain as she tried to fight her urges. "Malachai… Find the Malachai." Her breath was jagged. "Seduce the Malachai… tell Noir."

The pain reached it's peak as she screamed and clutched her head. Tears escaped down her cheeks. Ethon dropped her into the couch and rolled her so that he could cup her head in his hands. His thumbs worked small circles around her temples as his fingers massaged her scalp.

The warmth of his hands, the soothing pressure that he applied, he pulled her away from the pain. Slowly, she melted into his hands.

Her eyes slowly opened and watched the man that soothed her. With his touch, the voices were quieted to the point that she could almost ignore them, the pain washed away. She didn't understand why. She didn't care. She only found gratitude for his care. Even the lust was easier to reign back. Though, to be honest, given a choice between all of the men she had met that day, she would prefer to get down and dirty with man in front of her. Later. When she had control of herself and freedom to actually choose.

Ethon watched her as she regained control over herself. Something about the girl felt warm and peaceful in his hands. He didn't understand it. Yet, he liked the feel of it.

He didn't know anything about the Malachai that she talked about. But he was familiar with Noir. And he didn't want to see the human girl suffer at his hands.

Ash sighed. The demon that chased her was dead. Nick had killed it. But if Noir was involved, there would be more. She was obviously being used as a pawn to get to Nick.

Worse, the way she tried to attack him sexually, the way that she had said that she was supposed to seduce the Malachai… it all pointed to a drug that he knew too well. The girl couldn't be left in a human hospital. With a sigh, he touched her forehead and uttered a few words that Ethon couldn't make out, the girl fell asleep.

"Ethon, teleport her back to Sanctuary and let Carson look after her wounds. Don't tell them anything yet about the rest. Just let her sleep for now. I'll be there soon to help."

"I seriously need a vacation. Maybe Disneyland for the morbidly insane. Anything to have a break from you two." He growled.

Ethon wasn't happy that Acheron felt comfortable telling Nick about his powers. He liked to keep his powers close to the chest. Let no one know his strengths nor his weaknesses. Slowly, he lifted the girl up into his arms and used his powers to teleport her back to the bar she had first stumbled upon.

Once the two were gone, Nick let out a long, slow breath. "Well, ain't this just shits and giggles?"

"Whatever it is Noir did to that girl, he was hoping to use your libido to track you down boy. You might want to keep it in your pants for a while. We don't know how many other girls have been targeted." Ash stated a bit more condescendingly than he had intended. However, it hit a nerve. If Nick, kept things in his pants, they wouldn't have been in the situation they were in.

Nick rolled his eyes. "Screw you, Ash. If you would have trusted me to tell me you had a demon that you raised like a daughter, or even cared enough about me to save my mom, then I wouldn't be here now. But because I am the one who actually cares about my city and the people in it, I am going to Olympus. No human temptation at all. You know where to find me." Then he disappeared.

Ash shook his head. They had both messed up. It took time for Acheron to even come close to being ready to forgive him for the transgression. However, Nick's growing hatred and arrogance only kept those walls between them. He would never forgive Ash. And that only pushed him to do stupid shit, like become Artemis's new lover. What an idiot.

At least on Olympus, Nick would be with Artemis. They could get their freak on, far away from human girls ready to throw themselves at him just to find him for Noir. Gods, what a mess.


	3. Chapter 3

By the time Acheron arrived at Sanctuary, Ethon and Carson had to hold the girl down while Carson gave her a sedative. It didn't take long for her to lose consciousness. Again.

Though, to everyone's surprise, Ethon had calmed her down once again. His hands on her face reached through her lust filled haze and pulled her away from the edge until another man had entered the room, having been called to help restrain her. Then the cycle started all over.

"Seriously Ash. We're not supposed to have humans here." Aimee growled. "Now she's back and ready to throw herself on every man she sees." The anger in her voice said that the human had probably tried to go after Aimee's mate, Fang. One thing about the Were-Hunters. Whether they were more human or more animal, they were very possessive of their mates.

Ash tilted his head to the bearswan in front of him. "My apologies, but she's more than simply human. She has been toyed with by a god and his demons. I am not sure human doctors would come close to understanding this."

Ethon listened as Acheron and Aimee discussed the situation with Carson. He wasn't sure that even Carson was prepared for helping the girl.

Sanctuary was a limani, a safe place for all species to seek refuge. Primarily owned, operated, and for, the Were-Hunter community; limani's offered places for those seeking asylum, but also neutral meeting places between rival groups. Were-Hunters themselves were the magical fusion between a cursed race and animals. The hope was to extend their lives from the limits of the curse. Yeah, that succeeded. Instead of dieing at the age of twenty seven, Were-Hunters could live for centuries. Not as long as Ethon, but still a whole hell of a lot longer than twenty seven.

Aimee and her eleven brothers, were bears, and ran the place. Along with their mates and others that stayed in the guest rooms in the back. It was a pretty nice arrangement. A public bar up front, open to the humans who had no idea of the secrets that many patrons kept. While behind the walls was a large array of rooms for the family and preternatural guests. They also boasted their own clinic.

Thus Carson. And their need to be there with the girl.

But she wasn't a Were-Hunter, a daimon, a demon, or even a Dark-Hunter. She was human with some seriously nasty tinkering in her head.

Ethon watched her breath. She seemed so peaceful when she was asleep. Her hair was dyed black with the under layers in electric blue and fell in loose waves to her shoulders with a subtle hint of a curl at the ends. The color wouldn't be as flattering on most women, but on her, it complemented her blue-green eyes that barely showed around her enlarged pupils and contrasted with her skin beautifully. Her slightly bronzed olive skin almost hid the tiny freckles that splattered over her nose. High cheekbones that gave her a timeless beauty. Full, pink lips, slightly wet and swollen from kisses…

From kissing Nick… and Fang… and Carson… but not Ethon. The second she woke up, she lost control again and went for the first male in front of her. It was like Nick triggered her loss of control. It was all very odd, and made him a little green that he was always the one to help restrain or calm her, but never kiss her.

Why in the hell did that even matter? He didn't want to take advantage of her. That would have been all kinds of wrong. Yet, it looked like she could really kiss. And the idea of it sparked a longing he hadn't felt in a while.

Hell, she had even kissed Dev.

Shit, Samia was going to want the girls head for that one.

And that reminder tightened his chest.

Samia.

The one woman that he had loved for thousand years. His eyes closed. Sam was happy. She was mated to Dev and pregnant with his twins. Ethon was happy for her.

Aimee had finally relented on the idea of the girl staying in the clinic for help while Acheron made several calls to see if they could find out more through other sources.

"Do you need me to go play Susie Homemaker with Nick again?" Ethon asked with a snarky edge to his voice. He was a serious badass. He was supposed to be training Nick. And he resented the impression that he was delegated to being a babysitter.

Ash shook his head. The only clear image that he had of the girl's future was that she's connected to both Nick and Ethon. "No. Nick isn't there. He is somewhere safe until we solve this issue. I would prefer you stay with the girl since you seem to calm her." Then he left.

"Today is one of those days where I really want to find out where Acheron sleeps and fill the whole damned room with jello." He grumbled.

Carson looked up. Confusion on his face. "Why jello?"

"It keeps breaking apart, making it hard to remove. And by the time you even have a chance of getting most of the shit out, it melts and stains everything. Pink. Pink would piss him off. Or yellow…"

Carson shook his head and asked for a little help getting the girls jacket off so he could get to her wounds more easily. Ethon stepped over to help with a scowl. Why did it have to be him? Couldn't he be in a battle or something?

As the grey jacket pulled away from her uninjured arm, Ethon noticed a tattoo on the inside of her left wrist. Nearly two inches in diameter, she had a vibrant red Tudor rose.

He looked at it as his thumb grazed her soft skin.

Rose.

He wondered what kind of significance it held for her. As he looked back up at her face, it seemed to fit.

"Rose." He mumbled.

Carson looked at him. "What?"

Ethon rolled her arm to show the doc the tattoo. "Seems like a better name to call her than ' _human girl_ ' or something."

Carson smirked and returned to his work, cleaning the wounds before stitching them closed.

Yet, as Ethon moved to set her hand down, his thumb slid over the top of her hand. There was a change in texture that caught his attention. He lifted her hand and tilted it to see the subtle coloration and raised skin of a black light tattoo.

"Check this out." He showed Carson once more.

"There's a black light in the lower right drawer of my desk."

Ethon found the hand held light and turned it on to look at her tattoo. "Damn it."

He quickly called Ash who answered on the first ring. "Seriously Ethon, you are not getting off the hook on babysitting duty."

"That's not it. Though, I am still not happy about that part."

"I don't care. Why did you call then?"

Ethon glanced down at the spiderweb tattoo on the girl's hand. "Ash, she's a Squire. Blood Rites."

"Well that does add a complication. I'll make a few calls and be there in a bit. Just have something else to do first."

* * *

Around an hour later, Ash returned. He left the clinic door open while he turned to greet one of the local Squires walking up the stairs. Acheron had obviously called him.

"So, should I just move in here? I seem to be here way too much." The man's face was so stern and intense that it nearly hid the sarcasm in his words. "And you know that you could have asked Roxie for help. She actually does live here."

The man was only an inch shorter than Ethon's six foot five, with black hair and dark brown eyes. He tried to play the tough guy. Ethon supposed he was for a human. But up against Ethon's charming self, it was laughable.

Only a tilt of Ash's head into the room gave the new arrival any indication of what was going on.

"What the hell happened?" Otto Carvalletti growled when he saw the girl. Wow. Was that real emotion? Even Carson looked shocked at the response.

Otto ran over to her side and brushed her hair from her face. "Rosslyn, what did you get into?" He mumbled as his eyes trailed across her body to take in any and all injuries.

Acheron watched him. "I'm sorry Otto, I hadn't recognized her until now."

"Who is she?" Ethon asked.

Otto watched her face as he talked. "Rosslyn Bera. My cousin. She's supposed to be in London." He finally looked up at Acheron as his teeth ground together.

The Atlantean weighed out what to say. As Otto's cousin, her family was very powerful among the Squires Council. He had called Otto to just let them know about the issue with one of their own, but family put a whole new level of personal affront. And her personal history made the sting all the more deep.

The Squires were humans who protected the Dark-Hunters. Dark-Hunters were immortal warriors with some significant handicaps, primarily the fact that they burned up in the sun. So, Squires through history were sworn to protect the Dark-Hunters as they slept, run errands, take care of the details. Over time, that task had grown in complexity as society evolved. The more elite members, which Otto and Rosslyn both belonged, were also watchdogs over the secrets. Making sure no one revealed the world of Dark-Hunters to those who were uninitiated. Plugging up any leaks that sprung.

Noir sure did pick the wrong girl for that experiment. Or perhaps that was the point? Noir knew that Acheron was protecting the Malachai. Perhaps he thought that a Squire would be able to get closer. Could it indicate that Noir knew who the Malachai was already? Nick was a Squire before he became a Dark-Hunter. He was well known and well liked. Perhaps using the Squire was a ploy at reaching Nick at a personal level. Damn, the Squires needed to know that they could be targeted. Or could Noir know about Nick's history with Rosslyn? Too many questions.

With a deep breath, Ash answered Otto. "It appears that your cousin was assaulted by a god."

"Assaulted how?" Otto roared.

Ash shook his head. He knew where Otto's mind was headed. "We don't know the full extent of it yet. But she was drugged, her mind had been scrambled a bit. She doesn't remember who she is. She doesn't know how she got here. And she appears to have some intense…" He wasn't sure that Otto wanted to know that part.

Ethon finished it. "Sexual urges." Ash closed his eyes at Ethon's bluntness.

Otto whimpered as he moved to cradle the girl.

"It's something that Azura specializes in." Everyone turned to see a man with curly auburn hair lean against the door.

"How do you know? Who's Azura?" Otto questioned.

The man gave a half laugh.

"Azura is one nasty bitch, a very powerful primal goddess. And he knows, because Seth used to be enslaved to Azura and her brother, Noir. Now, he's free and on our side. That's why I called him in on this." Ash answered in a tone that brokered no patience for continuing to question Seth's presence.

"Didn't Jenna trap Azura?" Ethon questioned. Several had to go into Jenna's dreams to save her from an all out assault from Azura several months back. The Egyptian demigod certainly caught the wrong attention from Azura and Noir. But as Jenna was the great granddaughter of Ethon's brother… yeah, he was all for helping to save family. Jenna and her father, Ramsey had become friends as well as family.

Ash shook his head. "Apollo attacked Olympus recently. The bastard let her go."

"Damn. I was hoping to get all crafty and make her into a pincushion for someone's birthday." Ethon would have loved to rip her apart. "Papa Ghede offered to teach me how to turn her into a living Voodoo doll."

Carson grimaced at him.

"So, what's going on with Rosslyn?" Otto growled in frustration. He couldn't follow the conversation enough, but understood it wouldn't matter if he did.

Seth looked straight at the man. "She was infected with demon blood. Azura uses a mix of it and a small amount of a rare drug, then she puts a few spells on the whole concoction and pours it down her victim's throat. The end result is that the human usually goes insane, but as they slip, they are single mindedly focused on one task. Once they find their target, one of the spells break, allowing the drug take full affect. It leaves the victim in a sex crazed stated. Wanting their target, but willing to grab anyone to slake that hunger. Usually, their mind is mush before the drug wears off."

Ethon caught Acheron's gaze. Single mindedly looking for the Malachai and seducing him. Rosslyn hadn't been so over the top in her lust until Nick touched her. So, Nick was the Malachai? His eyebrow raised as he put two and two together.

Ash glared at him to drop it.

"Is there anything that we can do for her?" Otto asked.

There was a long pause before Seth continued. "The drug will wear off. It is a small enough amount that a few good orgasms should help calm her. Any volunteers?"

"Fucking hell no!" Otto roared. "No one is getting their jollies at my cousin's expense!"

Seth shrugged. "I am happily married, so I wasn't raising my hand."

Everyone turned to glare at Ethon. The only single man in the room that wasn't related to her. Wait. Carson was single. Why weren't they looking at him?

"Seriously?" He rolled his eyes. "I like my women a bit wild. But too high to remember… not interested in that Spring Break experience. I don't have my 'get out of jail free' pass."

"That's enough. No one is going that route." Acheron stated firmly. If she had a boyfriend, someone that she chose, that would be one thing, but strangers… that would cause more damage to a girl who had already been hurt enough.

Otto growled at Ethon for even thinking about it. Ethon scoffed. The girl was cute. Yeah, he wouldn't turn down a consensual romp. But just what kind of monster did that human boy think he was? He wasn't going to get a girl off while she couldn't even remember her name.

Seth shook his head. "As the drug wears off, the spell will eventually break. At that point, the overwhelming need to complete her task will diminish quickly. The problem is that as you wait for that to happen, the demon blood has time to slowly take affect. She will start to change. And the damage done to her mind would most likely be permanent. Even if she does survive the next week to reach that point, without complete loss of sanity, she will then be something other than human." Seth ran a hand over his face. "The only thing that I can think of is to give her more demon blood."

"What?" Ethon questioned at the same time that Otto asked if he was out of his ever loving mind.

Seth shrugged. "You can't remove the blood that is already there. It's already changing her and breaking her down. As she changes, her mind is flooded with images that relate to her mission. Sex, violence, orders from the psychos that did this to her. Giving her more blood would let her transition to be a demon type entity more quickly, hopefully before the tidal wave of information burns through her mind entirely. If the source demon was strong enough it could even help to break the spell and burn off the drug faster."

He looked at Ash. "This is all just hypothetical. I have never seen it attempted in this kind of situation. But from what I do know about demons and how the power transfers work, it should help. She might not get her mind back to how it was, but it should stabilize her enough and allow her to move forward with powers and strength to protect herself. However, she would have to be seriously watched over for at least a week, maybe more to be sure she makes it through it all and has control of herself before she ever be allowed to venture near anyone else. And Azura doesn't like to leave loose ends, so she would still be a target until she shows that she is stronger."

"You want to turn my cousin into a demon?" Otto was floored.

Ash grimaced. "Demon blood can carry their powers. And since a human doesn't have any other genetic defenses, it could alter her in some way. She would be something else. More of a hybrid. Taking on some of the demon traits. We wouldn't know exactly what does or doesn't express itself until it's done. Gaining those powers would help, if the donating demon is strong enough."

Otto glared at Acheron. "This is sick! I can't believe you are alright with this. You are supposed to be protecting humans."

The Atlantean's face softened. "Otto. I know this is hard for you to understand. Especially with Rosslyn. But she's already infected with a small amount. Enough to cause her harm. Seth is right, more of it could help her. But there is no going back. She won't ever be completely human again and not trying to help her would leave her at risk of insanity and more vulnerable to Azura."

His shoulder's slumped. "What do I tell her parents?"

"The truth."

Ethon had remained quiet as he couldn't offer any advice and didn't know the girl. But he felt bad for her. "Shouldn't she have a say in what you do to her?" He finally spoke up.


	4. Chapter 4

A few hours later, once Ethon pulled Rosslyn off of Otto and got her to calm down and listen to the situation, she agreed to the blood idea. Since Rosslyn couldn't remember who she was, it was understood that they wouldn't do it against her will per se, however, also needed consent from family.

The problem was that no one in the Squire's Council trusted the situation. As a Blood Rites Squire, her duty was to protect the secrets of the other Squires and the Dark-Hunters they served. Yet, without her being human any more, she could no longer be a Squire. And leaving the Blood Rites was simply not done.

The Squires Council were at odds as to what they would do. Their knee jerk reaction was to order her death. Her mother begged for mercy as it was out of her control and she couldn't even remember her name let alone their secrets. As a demon hybrid type entity, she certainly wouldn't want to run around telling people that demons and Dark-Hunters exist. That would put herself at risk. And she couldn't tell other secrets that she couldn't remember.

Fortunately, the girl's father and uncle, Otto's father, were on the Council and caved to her mother's pleas. With their help, and Acheron's offer to watch over her very closely, others eventually agreed on a contingency that if she ever hurt a human, her life would be forfeit.

Their world was just so full of sunshine, rainbows, and kittens.

Sigh.

Nick rolled his eyes as he watched Acheron walk into Artemis's temple. "What do you want dad? Here to check up that I am home by curfew?"

"Where's Artemis?"

Nick raised a brow. "With her father. Why?"

Ash scowled. "Just thought you would like to know who the girl is." He paused. "Privately."

Nick rolled his shoulders. "Why should I care?" He turned to walk out to toward the gardens.

"I caught your hint of recognition earlier. You were right, you did know her. Rosslyn Bera."

Nick froze mid-step and nearly fell over. His chest was instantly tight.

"I didn't recognize her at first either." Acheron said.

Nick's eyes closed as he remembered her. As a Squire, Nick was very active in the online communities and ran the website. That helped him network out to all of the major players. With Rosslyn's pedigree, she definitely fell into the major players category even if she was still in high school. The two had really hit it off online.

They had only met once, when Rosslyn's father, one of the most seriously badass Squires in all of Europe, had come to New Orleans for something. He brought his eighteen year old daughter with him. Nick was older, but Rosslyn was more mature and knew how to keep the stubborn young man in line. It all just felt so natural. Nick and Rosslyn had an amazing night together. One that he would never forget. Hell, if she had lived anywhere closer to him than Greece, Nick would have tried for a relationship. Unlike the girl at school that he had a crush on before that, Rosslyn knew his world. He could be completely honest with her. She knew the dangers, the expectations, and she could kick ass. She made his heart race.

Knowing that it would never work with her in Europe and him in New Orleans, he closed himself off from that option and focused on local girls only. But he never completely forgot her. Just a few months later, his life changed for the worse. And even the faintest hope of something happening in the future disappeared. He was a Dark-Hunter, she was a Squire, and the two were forbidden to ever fraternize. And he never wanted to expose her to his demonic side or the rage that he barely contained.

However, ten years later, she showed up in New Orleans once again. And in trouble.

Nick knew that she had been stationed in London for most of those ten years, that explained the subtle British accent that she didn't have before. The curves of her body were more toned and matured. Her natural brown waves were dyed black with electric blue streaks, fell to her shoulders. It actually looked really good on her. The black eyeliner and mascara only highlighted her large almond shaped eyes, dilated from the drugs, hiding the vibrant blue-green color that he knew her eyes should be. All set in her glowing olive skin. It was no wonder Nick had a difficult time recognizing the woman that she had become. She was no longer the innocent looking eighteen year old he remembered.

The girl he knew was every bit the fierce Squire her father was. Damn, her whole family was. It pained him to see her so vulnerable.

"What happened?" Nick whispered.

* * *

Ash paced along the marble floor of his Atlantean home as he debated several options concerning Rosslyn.

There was no predicting just what the demon blood would do to the girl. He chose to ask his charonet demons to donate their blood.

Charonets were among the strongest of demons. However, as Acheron raised one as his daughter for eleven thousand years and had gotten to know more of her charonet family in recent years, he was confident in the choice to use their blood. He knew how they thought, their strengths and weaknesses.

Their blood would definitely be powerful enough to help the girl.

However, he had never known of a case like this where a human was given their blood. He could only guess at the outcome. And they didn't know what other demon was used in the first place. The combo could alter expectations. He didn't want to turn an insane charonet hybrid loose in New Orleans.

The girl would also need a way to start a new life. She could live in Katoteros, the Atlantean heaven realm, with the charonets that already lived with him. But he didn't want to imprison the girl if he didn't need to and there was no way to know if she would gain the ability to teleport herself back to the mortal world.

His thoughts were pulled as his phone rang. He didn't even look at it. "What?"

"You're holding out on me." A familiar voice scolded.

"Thorn."

The voice sighed. "I thought that I had been rather well behaved lately and this is how you repay me?"

"What are you babbling about?" Ash knew where he was headed, but still made the demon say it.

"The girl Ash. If you can save her, she would make an excellent addition to my crew."

Ash scoffed. "And why would I hand her over to you? It's not that I don't agree with your cause. But I wouldn't condemn many to your service."

"Ouch. If I had feelings, mine would be hurt."

Acheron shrugged. "Ehh. Just be happy that I am not giving her Addonac blood."

Thorn hissed. "Please tell me you didn't seriously consider giving her Cadegan's blood."

That pulled a slight chuckle from Ash. "No. I'm not going to do that." Addonac's were too powerful and unpredictable. In fact, Thorn's… brother? Or rather, son, Cadegan, lived in Katoteros already because of his unpredictability. He was free to leave. However, spent most of his time away from humans.

And his mind circled back around to whether or not the girl should live there as well. But her future was tied in with Nick's and Ethon's…

Nick was completely blank from his view. And they had already established that she was a risk to him, despite their history. Ethon's future was shifting as the girl spent more time with him. However, he calmed her. Perhaps her future would stabilize once the demon blood took effect.

* * *

Rosslyn had been moved to a side 'recovery room' type place where she sat on the bed with her back against the wall. Her eyes were closed as she tried to remain calm. Images and commands still swam in her head.

Acheron had tried to give her an explanation of things, but her desires had made it very difficult to focus. If she understood him correctly, he wanted to give her some demon blood to try to help with her problems, but she would never be completely human again. She couldn't remember her life, so, there were no memories of a human life anyway.

It was all just so confusing. She couldn't remember who she was. It was a shock to learn that one of the men that she had jumped on to was her cousin. Eww. She had no recognition of him, or the people he talked about. Yet, as they talked about demons and Dark-Hunters, that all felt natural. Like a truth that she already knew. Just as she knew that she understood many languages, yet she grew up with Italian, Latin, Arabic, Greek and English as her primary languages. Rosslyn couldn't understand how she remembered concepts and information, but not the details.

Her forgotten cousin had told her about her parents a little. Her father was Lebanese and a fierce Squire who held a seat on the Squire's Council. Her mother was Italian and part of a family that had been Squires for a very long time. Rosslyn's grandfather had been the head of the Squire's Council until his death a few decades before. And her mother's brother still held a seat. Her parents met when they were both stationed in the UK. Her mother loved Rosslyn Chapel. So, that was where they were married. And where she had gotten her name.

It all felt foreign. Like he was talking about someone else. Why could some things feel natural and other things feel distant?

In the back of her mind, she recognized that most people wouldn't know, understand, nor accept the world that they talked about. One full of gods and monsters. Humans and Dark-Hunters working together to protect the rest of the ignorant population. Yet, it was a world that felt like home to her.

Home.

She couldn't picture a physical location. She was told that she had lived in London for the past eight years. However, she couldn't remember her apartment. Or London, really.

So, why was it that every time Ethon was close to her, that was how she felt. As though she was home. Though he said that he had never met her before her crashing into him on the street.

Why? At a time when she had been drugged to want sex more than food, more than breath… Why was he the only one she could calm down and behave around? Why was he the one man that she wanted more than all others?

Hell, she didn't even know if she had a boyfriend or someone waiting for her in London. Her cousin, Otto, had said that she wasn't married. Thank the Fates for that. It would just add more confusion and guilt. But he admitted that Rosslyn did date a little. He didn't know if there was anyone special.

Uggh, it was a mess.


	5. Chapter 5

Ethon had stepped outside the door to Rose's room, watching her, but allowing her some space. She had a lot to process. He leaned against the wall in the hall as he listened to voices of fallen soldiers whisper to him.

It was a gift that he told know one about. Ever. A very small handful of people figured it out. But he never said anything.

Every Dark-Hunter had been given psychic powers in addition to the regular Dark-Hunter powers of enhanced strength and senses. The psychic powers were unique to them. Others could have the same powers, but perhaps not the same combination. Many times, they are connected to who the Dark-Hunter was at their core and/or the reasons they became a Dark-Hunter.

Ethon was a bloodthirsty warrior who was set up in an ambush. So, it made sense that his powers included the ability to communicate with the warriors of the past. They've helped him avoid other ambushes and warned him of other dangers.

Of course, constantly hearing voices made Ethon just a touch insane as well. But hey, no one was perfect.

They really couldn't offer any decent advice on what to do with a sex crazed girl who was becoming a demon hybrid thing.

"How is she?" Samia's warm voice asked.

He looked up to watch the beautiful Amazon waddle toward him. His lips slid into a smirk. "You shouldn't be trying to kill her while in your condition."

"Har, har. Seriously, how is she?"

"About as well as could be expected." He answered, watching Rosslyn twitch and slightly rock herself with her eyes closed. "Are you seriously not here to kill her?"

Rosslyn listened to their conversation closely.

Samia's blond curls swished over her shoulders as she shook her head. "No. I am not happy that she threw herself on my mate. But I understand that she was drugged and I trust Dev to not get carried away with such things."

Ethon scoffed. "Only because he is physically incapable of cheating on you." Were-Hunter's had some of the most jacked up restriction on their lives. Especially the males. Were's couldn't choose their own mates, the Fates did. However, not only did they not get a choice in the person, once the destined couple had sex and received their mating marks, they had three weeks to decide if they were going to seal the deal. It was all in the female's hands. And if she rejected the guy, he was left completely celibate for the rest of the female's life. Even after a mating is complete, the guy wouldn't even get hard around another woman.

It was a good thing for Dev Peltier, one of the many bear siblings there at Sanctuary, that he found a mate that loved him. As evidenced by her growing baby bump. Samia was around a month away from giving birth, but pregnant with twins meant she looked like she was ready to pop any second.

A twinge of jealousy tore through Ethon. He still remembered every single one of the moments that he had spent with Samia. The day they first met. Her wedding day when she married his little brother. The day that they rushed to her home after a battle, high on the blood lust and power. The two of them made love before sense, memories and guilt racked them both. They had both been Dark-Hunters at the time. Her husband had died centuries before. She had loved him completely. And Ethon knew how much his brother had loved her in return.

With her powers, she had seen his memories. His pain. That mixed with the guilt… Samia had learned to hate him that day. Yet still, he loved her. Most importantly, he loved her enough to let her go. She was happy with her bear. Just like she had been happy with his brother. And Ethon chose to be happy for her.

No matter what he tried, letting go was not the same as moving on.

He had sex with plenty of women through the centuries, trying to force his heart to release the vice like grip it had on the former Amazon Queen. Searched for someone to help him move on. Women who looked like Samia. Women who were the opposite of Samia. And everything in between. Never once did it truly work.

Of course, the fact that Dark-Hunters had been banned from having anything more than a one night stand, close to sixteen hundred years ago… that made it even harder. Sex he could get. An emotional connection, that was a whole other can of worms. Not that he really wanted it. He never wanted another weakness. Never wanted a woman to get her hooks into him enough for it to be used against him. He just wanted enough of something to fully move on.

The hardest part was that she had seen him. All of him. The shame and guilt of that tore through him. In a way, that was what made it harder to let go.

Samia was burdened with a power that forced her to see the memories of a person or object when her skin touched them. She saw every single moment of who he was and his past. And it terrified her.

If the battle hardened Amazon Queen was sickened by him… then how could anyone else ever show any softness for the broken monster that he was?

Even the demon Squire with amnesia wasn't interested.

And he didn't trust anyone but Samia with that knowledge. The fact that despite her hatred of him, she had never once uttered a word of his past. Never shared his pains. It only made him love her more. She was a good woman who didn't deserve her fate. At least, with Dev Peltier, she was happy.

He shook his head. He needed to stop thinking about any of it.

Ethon Stark was a Dark-Hunter.

" _Be a part of the world, but never in it…_ " Acheron gave the same speech to every new Dark-Hunter. " _Never let anyone know you…_ " Ethon never intended to, knowledge could be used against him. The only ones who knew his past were Samia and Acheron.

" _Our responsibilities are great. Our battles numerous and legendary. But at the end of the night, you go home alone where no one knows what it is you have done to save the world that fears you. You can never bask in your glory. You can never know love or family…_ " Ironically, he had both. Even though Samia hated him, he still loved her. And through her, he had come to know and love Jenna and Ramsey as family.

" _They could become a weakness, be used against you._ " Those that he counted as family knew the risks. They were warriors themselves. Ethon would die to protect them. But they knew that he refused to let them be a weakness. As best as he could convince himself of that.

" _We are Dark-Hunters. We are forever powerful. We are forever alone._ " Just how he prefered it.

He had learned his lessons in his human life. With power came betrayal. The only way to protect oneself was to only keep your own confidence. Never allow others to really know you. Never reveal your strengths and weaknesses so that they could strategize accordingly.

He was a Dog of War because he had truly learned those truths. And he loved to bring his enemies to their knees before he slit their throats.

He liked what he was. Ethon had no interest in ever gaining his soul back from Artemis. He didn't want to live a mortal life. He didn't want that kind of weakness. Ever.

So, he pushed all thoughts of love and emotional connections into a deep, dark corner of himself. It was useless to hope for something that could change him when he didn't really want to change.

* * *

Acheron walked through the hall toward Carson's clinic and the adjoining recovery room. He watched Ethon as the man watched the girl. Ethon's eyes held subtle confusion. However, his posture was one of determination.

Ethon turned his head to look at Ash. "You got what you need?"

Ash nodded. "Is Otto here?"

"In the bar, trying to drink away his emotions. For a man who tries really hard to hide them, he sure does have strong ones for his cousin. Not that I blame him. If I had a cousin that looked like her, I might have some strong… reactions as well."

Ash scowled at Ethon's implications. He knew the man was just being stupid and trying to lighten the mood, not actually accusing Otto of anything inappropriate. "There is something seriously wrong with you Stark. And don't ever repeat that. Otto has his reasons for being so protective."

Ethon tilted his head and shrugged. "Better screwed up, than dead. I have died once already. I really don't recommend it. Puts a mean smackdown on retirement plans."

"Well, retirement aside, I needed to talk to you about plans for Rosslyn."

"I'm not going to like this, am I?" Ethon returned his gaze to the human-ish girl as she rolled to her other side on the bed. Her black dress caught under her as she rolled, inching the bottom hem up to reveal more of her luscious, toned, thighs. He had to fight the groan of appreciation that wanted to escape.

Acheron leaned against the wall, with one foot propped up against the wall so that his knee was bent out in front of him. His arms were crossed over his chest. He watched Rosslyn for a moment as well. "She has already been through too much. She needs a safe place to stay while she goes through this transition."

Ethon's eyes snapped over to Acheron. "Sanctuary is one of the safest." Please let him be talking about the room she was in already.

A slight tug of Ash's lips indicated that Ethon wasn't that lucky.

"We don't know how this will all manifest. She could go completely crazy. Go into a rage. Or even just curl up and sleep. But for the safety of the cubs and females that are living here, including Korina who had a horrible past with demons, and Samia while she is pregnant, it really would be best if she be moved some place more… private."

Ethon wasn't about to open his mouth. He wasn't going to volunteer for jack shit. And he was pissed that Ash pulled Sam into it to try to convince him.

"Since Rosslyn seems to remain more calm and in control when you're with her, it makes the most sense that she stay with you."

"No." Ethon's answer was short and to the point.

Ash lifted a shoulder in a half shrug. "You don't really get a choice."

"I have never had anyone live with me. Never a wife, a girlfriend, children, not even a Squire." And there were reasons for that.

Ethon's protests went completely ignored. "Let's tell your new roommate the good news. I want Otto and Carson here when she drinks the blood, but once she is medically stable, you can take her home and let her stay in the guest room. I'll get her some clothes." Acheron headed into the room.

"Sometimes, I really hate you." Ethon growled.

"I know."

* * *

A few minutes later, Carson and Otto stood in the hall while Ethon calmed Rosslyn and held her close. So many men. She was itching to give into her carnal needs. When she was alone, she had been reasonably in control. But the desires had still grown during the time. She was desperate to give her body everything that it craved. And with so many choice options, it was nearly killing her to not take them. Sweat beaded across her forehead from the strain of her fight.

Acheron handed Ethon the bottle of blood for her to drink, as well as a bottle of soda to help wash it down afterwards.

"One last time child, are you sure you are willing to try this coarse of action?" Carson asked before Rosslyn grabbed the blood and began to chug it back.

The metallic tang of the blood made her throat burn slightly. She wanted to gag, but she forced herself to completely empty the bottle. Then she washed down the soda. It did wash away the taste of the blood, but the dry burn remained for a while.

For several moments, nothing happened.

Then Rosslyn doubled over as her stomach cramped and burned. Followed by her head nearly splitting in pain. She panted though as much as she could. Until the pain was too much. She screamed and then lost consciousness.

* * *

When Rosslyn opened her eyes again, she was finally alone.

No more staring. No more strangers. No more men that she wanted to ride into the ground. Not even the visions or commands that she had been plagued with. Just silence. Peace.

The growl of her stomach interrupted her solace.

Rosslyn had eaten when she was at Sanctuary. Aimee had brought her food a couple of times. Not that she stayed around. The men were all nervous of what Rosslyn would do, so they didn't want the women to be near her. Ironic since she didn't have the intense sexual drive around the women. Sigh.

However, she didn't know how long she had been asleep. Hell, she didn't know when it was that she had been given that demon blood. So, she didn't know how long it had been since she last ate. And her rumbling stomach protested its lack of sustenance.

Slowly, Rosslyn stretched and padded her way out of the bedroom that she was in and into a hall. Where was she?

Then she remembered the conversation she overheard between Ethon and Acheron. She guessed this was Ethon's place. Unless he found a way to convince Acheron otherwise. She looked down the hall to her right and saw doorways that probably lead to other bedrooms, maybe a closet and a bathroom. She'd check those out later. To her left were more doors, but also, there was a break in the wall that looked like it should lead to an open space.

Well, yeah, it was an open space alright, stairs. As she rounded the bottom of the stairs, she paused with her hand on the wooden bannister. The stairs opened up to a living room where Acheron was stretched out across the couch.

His jacket was slung over a nearby chair with his boots set under it. The sunglasses that he seemed to always wear were set on cushion of the chair.

He appeared to be asleep. Though, something about his general personality and posture assured her that he was most likely aware of her presence. She didn't think that man would ever let someone sneak up on him.

Pushing past her desire to join him, she turned to the right and found the kitchen. As quietly as she could, she looked through the ice box and cupboards. With no memory of whether or not she could cook well, she didn't want to try yet. Last thing she needed to do was burn down Ethon's home. He already didn't want her there.

So, having found a loaf of bread and some peanut butter and a bottle of honey… she opted for making a sandwich. Then, another. And another. Shit, was she hungry.

After she finished the entire loaf, she sliced up an apple and ate the slices with peanut butter and honey as well. As she turned to grab her third apple, she noticed Acheron leaning against the door frame that led into the kitchen.

She dropped her eyes. She didn't want to let the lust take over.

"You seem hungry."

"Famished."

He sighed. "That could be a result of your body burning through everything. Especially since you were out of it for a day and a half. Or it could be a permanent alteration to your metabolism. We'll know with time. For now, why don't you eat this."

She turned to see platters of barbecued meats, mashed potatoes, and a couple of pies on the counter.

"Where… How… What the hell?"

Ash smirked. "I have a few unique gifts. The food is perfectly safe." He watched her carefully. "The blood that I gave you is charonet. They're rather insatiable when it comes to eating."

"Great, so I am going to blow up into a whale." Rosslyn growled.

He chuckled. "No, they have the metabolism to match it."

Rosslyn pulled up a stool and dug into the food. Gods it was so good.

"So, how are you feeling now that you've had some time with the new blood, sleep, and some food?" Ash asked.

She shrugged. "The visions stopped. I don't hear the voices anymore. So, no more headache."

"What about the lust?"

She looked at him. "Honestly?"

He nodded.

"I still really want sex. But it is more controlled at the moment."

"Well, your eyes are no longer dilated. So, I guess that's a start." He smiled.

Damn, did he have a sexy smile. But Rosslyn also noticed a wedding ring on his left hand. Something that she hadn't seen before. Guilt ate at her. She had thrown herself at every man she could. Married or mated, didn't matter.

How could she ever really look those people in the face again?

"No one blames you for your behavior before." Ash told her. Was he reading her mind or something? Weird. He just grinned. "Take your time to settle in."

She quietly returned to her food.

Fortunately, Acheron left her in peace for a while.

It was the first time that she could really just think about the situation she was in. She still couldn't remember her life before she woke up in that alley. But what she had been told, she was a Squire. However, the Squire's Council had cut her off. So, she no longer had a job.

She couldn't remember what bank, let alone account, she used to get to any of her money. She didn't know where she lived and that was in London, far away from where she was in New Orleans.

She couldn't remember any other work history to start applying for jobs. And the fact that she was turning into some demon hybrid said that she probably shouldn't try to do that for a while.

Fuck. She was utterly dependent on the people that she had made a fool of herself with. And stuck in a house with a man that didn't want her there.

Could things get worse?


	6. Chapter 6

Ethon tossed and turned as his dreams delved into places that he didn't want to go. With a jolt, he woke up just after sunset. Usually, he woke a little early and took his time getting ready before he headed out just after the last rays of the sun disappeared. However, the dreams disrupted his sleep.

He stepped into his shower to try to shake the grogginess away. His mind flickered back to his dreams. His body was instantly hard with need. He needed to stop fantasizing about Rosslyn. Damn it.

Once he found a fast release and washed, he felt more refreshed. Ethon left the bathroom to check his messages. Samia sent a text to see how Rosslyn was doing. Jenna sent a few photos of her son, cute little bugger. Ramsey questioned why Ethon didn't show up online the last couple of nights. Nothing critical. He would message them all back later.

Rose wasn't in the guest room. But he wasn't too worried yet. After all, Ash said he would stay to make sure she was alright.

Acheron was pacing in the living room, on the phone with someone that he was speaking Spanish with. Ethon found Rosslyn in the kitchen with a pile of rib bones in front of her and she was working on some mashed potatoes. Damn, that was some appetite.

When she looked up, he noticed just how enchanting her natural eyes were. Large, almond shaped eyes with vibrant blue-green irises. He could look into those eyes forever. They were simply beguiling.

He watched as they widened and she looked down. "Sorry." Rosslyn mumbled. "I was just about to clean up the mess Acheron and I made."

The girl quickly stood up to throw away bones and collect platters, carrying them to the sink.

Ethon couldn't understand why she appeared so sad as she did it.

"You can finish eating first if you want, Rose."

She shook her head. "I'll clean up and get out of your way as fast a possible."

Acheron walked into the room. "You don't have to wash those." He waved his hand and all of the dirty dishes vanished except for the knife that she had used to make her sandwiches and cut her apples prior.

Rosslyn hurried to finish cleaning what was left and wash the counters as the men looked on confused.

"Do you want dessert?" Ethon asked. Not really sure why he offered.

Again she shook her head. "I'll just go take a shower and go to the spare room."

Ethon stepped into her way. "What's going on?" He asked.

She clenched her jaw her jaw as he stood so close to her. Her heart raced and her body flushed with heat.

"I am not stupid. I might not remember anything, or have money, or any idea of what is going to happen to me. But I am not deaf, nor blind."

Acheron tilted his head. "What are you talking about?"

Her eyes snapped to Acheron's. For the first time, she saw his swirling silver eyes and gasped. Almost forgetting the conversation. "It's bad enough that my situation forces me to be dependent on other people. But why are you forcing me to stay here when he told you that he doesn't want me here?"

Ash raised a brow. So, that was what it was. His ability to hear her thoughts and see her future were finally gaining clarity. The charonet blood was helping. She had some kind of feelings for Ethon. Otherwise she wouldn't be so sensitive to his rejection earlier. He glanced between the two of them as their futures started to align.

Oh, things were going to get messy. Especially with Nick somewhere in the mix.

A wicked smirk tugged at the corner of Acheron's mouth. "You're staying here because I said so. Deal with it." Then the man disappeared from the townhouse entirely.

"Asshole." She muttered as she moved toward the stairs.

Ethon shook his head. Yeah, Ash could be an ass. And yes, he had said that he didn't want her to stay there. The idea of someone living in his home, getting to know him, learning his habits and routines… it went against everything he lived by. The Spartans and the betrayal by his best friend had beaten any idea of letting people get close, right out of him.

It wasn't personal to her. He actually kind of liked her. The girl obviously had an admirable set of cojones talking to Acheron like that.

As much as he appreciated that she wanted to clean up after herself, Ethon felt bad that she rushed to hide that she was even there at all. Part of him wanted to go upstairs and sooth her nerves. But to what point? He was a Dark-Hunter. Meant to be alone. Unlike most of his brothers and sisters in arms, he loved what he was and what he did. He didn't want to find love and have a weak mortal life. And she certainly didn't need his violent, bloodthirsty, crazy ass.

Shaking his head once again to free himself of the trail his mind wanted to wander down. No. Rose was already in too much chaos to have to deal with a man that would only end up hurting her. It was best to keep his walls up and leave her alone.

Ethon made himself a quick bowl of soup and a cup of coffee. When he was finished, he headed up to check on Rosslyn. He could hear the water of the guest shower. His thoughts immediately returned to one of his dreams. He rested his forehead on the bathroom door as he tried not to think about the scene.

He had been watching her bathe herself in a waterfall. Her long, elegant legs parted ever so slightly to lift one, then the other as she scrubbed each with a sponge, bending over at her waist to give him the perfect view of her round and mouth watering backside.

As she stood, he noticed the large tattoo that scrolled across her entire back and down her hip. The water danced over her skin, rippling and flowing over the artwork, making it blurry to his view. He couldn't take it any more. He moved off of the rock that he sat on to get a better view of her inked flesh.

His fingers grazed her skin as she stopped her bathing and sighed with contentment.

The tattoo was stunning. It was a delicately designed Phoenix in flight. The whole thing was applied in black and gray with only highlights of color in strategic locations. The body and head stretched along her spine from the curve of her back to the center of her shoulder blades. Vibrant turquoise filled in the iris of the Phoenix, the eye ringed in deep red. The rest of the head was dusted with subtle hints of orange and yellow that faded back to black and grey before it reached the bird's neck. The wings were spread across the majority of her skin until they almost touched each other just below her neck. Color tinged the outermost wing feathers with reds, oranges, and yellows. Adding to the appearance of flames. However, the color quickly blended into her skin as though it were painted with water colors. Turquoise was applied in subtle strokes around the base of the Phoenix's wings, almost creating a halo around it's black and gray body. The tail flowed across her hip and onto her thigh. It was a style more similar in pattern to a peacock's tail with wisps of red, and orange, among the black, in the tail fibers that twisted away from the shafts. The eyes of the feathers were the most vibrantly colored of the rest of the tattoo. The centers were rich black, surrounded by a ring of turquoise that matched the bird's eye. That was followed by deep red, then orange, then yellow.

Every line, every color choice, was exquisite as it complimented the curves of her body and her glowing skin tone.

Ethon's hand brush against her bare hip as it followed her markings. She moaned and leaned back into him.

Her black and electric blue hair pulled away from her neck as she turned her head to glance at him. Her eyes glowed in that same vibrant turquoise as the tattoo.

Then he snapped out of it.

Damn it, that dream shouldn't be haunting him while he was awake, standing in the hallway outside her door.

Before he could move, the door opened to show Rose in nothing more than a towel.

Fuck!

Rosslyn could sense Ethon's sexual arousal when he woke up. She knew it was just remnants from a wet dream or something. It had been difficult to focus on finishing her meal as she knew that he was pleasuring himself for a while. But none of that was anywhere near as potent as the arousal she sensed outside of the bathroom door. And it spiked when she opened the door to see Ethon. The bulge in his pants strained toward her.

She didn't know why she sensed it all. It didn't matter, she was lost to it. It was intoxicating.

His lust made her hungry again. Like she was with the drug, but different. She craved to have his body inside of hers. To help him find release. Rosslyn wasn't as out of control as before. She didn't want any man, she wanted Ethon so badly that she could practically taste him.

Without any thought or control, she stepped right up to him. Her hand snaked around his neck and cupped the back of his head to pull his lips down to hers.

Ethon was stunned.

That girl couldn't have surprised him more if she came out with wings and horns… wait, she was a demon hybrid now, so that was entirely possible. But she was over the drugs, right?

As much as he really, really, really… wanted to let go and enjoy the attention, there was something that bothered him about it all.

Her eyes seemed clear. Her behavior earlier was more controlled. However, she had shown no interest in him when she was drugged and launching herself at every other man. So, why now?

She had been angry and hurt minutes ago. Why go for him at that moment?

" _Shut up and get laid._ " His inner voice was screaming.

" _But what if this was just an aftereffect of the drug? She's too vulnerable._ "

" _Since when do you care? Take what you want. That is how you were raised. Never ask. Never wait. Just fight for it and take it._ "

" _Yeah, that works great with everything but modern women._ "

" _But she is offering._ "

Her tongue slid across his lip and he parted the way for her to deepen the kiss. They both moaned.

His hands slid to her terry cloth covered hips as he pulled her closer. Her pelvis ground against his erection making him hiss from the intense contact.

Rosslyn chuckled at his reactions. The sounds of pleasure that she wrung from him skittered across her skin. Her tongue slid over his fangs and that sent a shiver of lust straight to her core. He tasted better than she had imagined. His scent filled her head. All male. Spicy, powerful, raw, masculinity.

" _What if she doesn't even realize it is me? I'm just a body to get her off, not by her choice._ " He asked himself.

" _Since when did that matter? Don't let her in. Don't become weakened by another woman. Take the pleasure and walk away._ "

" _I can't do that to her. I can't let her in. And I won't use her while she is too unstable to make a real choice._ "

Ethon rolled to pin her to the wall beneath him, his hard body pressed against hers as he kissed her as deeply and passionately as he could. With one more roll of his hips, he pulled back as she whimpered. He had to stop things before they went too far.

His forehead pressed against hers and closed his eyes as he fought to regain control. "You are a beautiful rose. But I am not sure you have complete control of yourself."

Gods he hated his conscience.

She wanted to argue and say that it was her choice, but she couldn't say that with complete honesty. She didn't know if she really was in control or not. The desire was so strong, so powerful.

He opened his eyes to see her's were a glowing turquoise that faded back to her blue-green. Like his dream…

Ethon pulled back and turned her to face the wall quickly. There, across the top of her back was the upper edge of the Phoenix tattoo from his dreams. What the fucking hell?

"Where did you get the tattoo?" He asked more harshly that he intended. But he felt like he had been toyed with, violated. She shouldn't have access to his dreams.

"I really have no idea. I didn't know I had a tattoo on my back until I took that shower." She scowled. Of course, she had demon induced amnesia. She wouldn't know where she got it.

"You need to stay the hell out of my dreams." He growled.

Rosslyn pushed away from the wall and faced him. "I haven't had one dream since all of this started. How in the hell would I fuck with yours? Why would I? I certainly can't help it if you dream about me."

Before he could ask anything more, the sound of feet running through the first floor and up the stairs drew both of their focus. Ethon was surprised to see her brace for a fight rather than try to run. Perhaps her training as a Blood Rites Squire still held muscle memory for her. Even if she couldn't remember actually training.

In a matter of seconds, a young woman dressed in goth clothing burst into the hall with a bright smile on her face. "Sissy!"

"Simi, I told you to give Rosslyn some time!" Acheron's voice called from the first floor.

The demon blew a raspberry toward the stairs. "You used the Simi's blood. That makes her the Simi's sister. So, the Simi wants to see her." She called back to Acheron. The the girl looked at Rosslyn. "Why are you's in the hall naked?"

Rosslyn's mouth gaped a few times. "I need to get dressed." Then she ran into the spare bedroom and changed into some clothes. Acheron had stocked her room with toiletries and clothing while she ate. Nothing fancy, some jeans and long sleeve shirts with a couple sweaters and jackets. At least she had something.

* * *

Once she was done, she slowly made her way downstairs where Ethon leaned against a wall while Acheron sat next to the goth girl on the couch. He looked briefly at Ethon. "Sorry for interrupting."

"What's going on?" Rosslyn asked.

"Simi here insisted on meeting the girl that she helped to save." Ash smiled at the girl next to him. She didn't look any older than twenty.

"You's has the Simi's blood. Now you's the Simi's sister. The Simi has lots of sisters now, but happy to have one more." She smiled wide, showing her fangs.

Rosslyn couldn't stop the smile and chuckle in return. "Sounds like perfect logic to me."

That made Acheron smile. She hadn't really seen an honest smile from him yet. Boy was it sexy. "Simi is a charonet demon. We don't really know how her blood will affect you, but given your appetite earlier, you definitely will have some characteristics."

Rosslyn nodded. "But I don't have the fangs."

"Well, that remains to be seen. You look completely human. However, you might be able to change to a demon form if you choose. For demons, it is usually the reverse of course, they have to choose to look human."

"Oh, you's should try to look like demon. You's gets really pretty hornays. The Simi could gets you's some hornay warmers if you's has them." Her sing song voice was utterly charming. Then she stood up and walked over to Rosslyn. "Just close your eyes. Lets your demon show."

Ethon watched closely as Rosslyn changed. Not much in physical size or shape. But, enough in other ways to show she was definitely a demon of some kind.

Rosslyn opened her eyes and looked in a mirror. Her natural olive skin was more pale, more golden, and marbled with swirls of red and blue. Her eyes glowed a bright turquoise. She opened her mouth as she her tongue slid over her fangs. On top of her head were two horns in iridescent black that seemed to shift in color as she watched them, with tinges of red, blue, purple and turquoise.

"You's beautiful." Simi gasped. "Most charonet have colored skin with swirls, not human skin with swirls. Oh, and you's don't have wings. And turquoise eyes… Different. The Simi likes different."

Ethon had to agree with Simi's assessment. He had never thought of a demon as beautiful, but Rosslyn was.

The demon leaned over to Rosslyn and whispered too loudly to really hide what she said. "Nick would like different too. He liked you's, a lot. The Simi saw it in his memories when…"

"Simi!" Ash yelled. Rosslyn watched his face as he tried to control a rush of emotions at Simi's information.

Acheron really didn't want the reminders of what Nick and Simi had done. He still shuddered at the idea of them having sex. Of his daughter losing her virginity to his best friend. The fear that Simi would turn out like all other women when they reached sexual knowledge and attack him for sex due to the curse that his aunt had left him the day he was born. Thank the gods, that Simi didn't show any interest. He wouldn't know what to do if she did.

The demon simply skipped over to him and kissed his cheek and pouted. "Sorry Akri. The Simi didn't talks about the nasty."

"That is enough."

She pouted again and then Ash opened his eyes to look down at the girl. His anger receded. He took a few deep breaths before he tried to move on.

Ethon finally broke the tension. "So, Rosslyn, it looks like you gained a sister or two overnight, along with a new look. It must be Christmas. Where are my presents?"

"You are missing a few screws, aren't you?" Rosslyn chuckled. How did he do that? Go from bruting to horny, from angry to making jokes?

"More than a few." Achron agreed.

Ethon crossed his arms in indignation. "Hey! I resemble that remark."

"At least you're man enough to admit it." Rosslyn grinned and watched him.

A cocky smirk slid across his lips. "I am man enough for just about anything."

Her cheeks flushed pink.

"I think it's time for Simi and I to leave." Ash cleared his throat. "Here's a new cell phone, I programed in a few essential numbers for you. One of them is Simi's. So, if you have questions about anything with your demon side, feel free to call her. There are added protections on the townhouse to keep everyone out. The only ones that can come in are Simi, Ethon and I. And we can all enter magically. So, just don't open the door for anyone else. Now that we know your appetite, I will have meals delivered for you. Ethon isn't prepared to feed you. You will want to learn how to curb the hunger as much as you can. You can honestly live on a regular meal three times a day. But you will crave much more."

"Thank you." Rosslyn said. She paused for a moment before she continued. "Ash?"

"Yes?"

"Have the drugs worn off completely?"

He looked at her. "Yes. You haven't thrown yourself at me all evening." She blushed. She hadn't thrown herself at _**him**_ , but Ethon... "Your hunger and other things are more tied into the new you. Not the drug. That wore off while you slept earlier. Simi's blood was much stronger than the spells and drugs."

Simi ran over to Rosslyn and wrapped her arms around her for a strong hug. Rosslyn smiled. At least she had a few people she could find comfort with. She wasn't sure she would ever find others. But Simi and Acheron seemed to accept her, completely. From what she heard, her family wasn't sure. Otto was fine, but her parents were another story. They didn't want her killed, however they weren't ready to reach out to her either.

Once they left, Rosslyn returned to her human form and sighed. "So, what was all that about Nick and Simi?"

Ethon frowned. "I don't know." And he wasn't happy about it. Simi made it sound like Rosslyn and Nick had a history. But then why didn't Nick say anything when they found her? Something didn't feel right. But then again, he shouldn't be jealous. What a ridiculous emotion… jealousy. It led to all sorts of problems.

She shouldn't want him. He shouldn't want her enough to be jealous. So, best to forget about any of it.

Trying to rebuild his walls, Ethon switched gears. "You braced for a fight earlier, it looks like you've had some training. Maybe we can help jog some of your memories by pushing you through your muscle memory?"

Rosslyn saw him close himself off.

She was surprised at how much that actually hurt. That kiss had been incredible. Her whole body wanted more. And Acheron had confirmed that it wasn't the drugs. Still, Ethon pulled back.

It wasn't like she wanted to just rush into sex with a guy she didn't know. Hell, she didn't know herself yet. But there was a part of her that craved him. And another part of her that craved sex. It made more sense that the two be combined.

Whatever, Acheron was right. She had to start getting her hunger under control. That went for the food and the sexual hungers, both.

He didn't want her. He didn't even want her to be in his home. He was just being a somewhat nice guy about trying to keep her calm and offered to help her jog some of her memories. That was all it would be.

With her resolve set, she agreed to the training.

Ethon lead her to the third floor loft space that he used as a training room.


	7. Chapter 7

Ethon had given Rosslyn a pair of his sweatpants and a t-shirt to change into while they trained.

Since Rosslyn was several inches shorter than him at five foot eight, she had to roll up the waist a few times for the pants to not trip her. But it was better than the jeans that Acheron had given her to get started.

Everything started off simple and light. Though, Ethon was impressed with her skill and built up quickly. It didn't take long before they were sparing rather comfortably. Rosslyn wasn't quite as highly trained as he was. He had several thousand years of practice. However, for being a human woman, she really was impressive.

Alright, not really human any more. The demon blood certainly added to her strength. The skill was all muscle memory and long term training that happened before the demon blood.

"So, I haven't asked." Ethon started as he parried with the wooden practice sword during one of their trainings. "What was going through your head that first night we found you?"

Rosslyn shrugged. "Images and voices. I assume they were Azura and Noir's voices, telling me to find the Malachai and making threats. The images were a mix of things. Mostly centered around violence and sex. I don't know if they were real memories of me fighting and killing, or having sex. They could have been created. I don't remember enough from my past to know. I suppose it doesn't matter either way."

"And what was with the screams of pain?" He really wanted to ask about the sex, but wasn't ready to go there.

"The more I fought back, the more they pushed, the more pain I would feel. Like lightning piercing my skull."

Ethon stopped. "I'm sorry you had to go through all of this, Rose."

"Why do you call me Rose?" She growled.

He smirked. "It's what I started calling you before I knew your name, not that you were conscious, whatever. But it fits your name. And it seems to irritate you. I like pushing your buttons." And he like the way her face always scrunched up at the nickname.

Damn it! The problem for Rosslyn was that she really did like it when he called her that. It made her heart skip a beat. And that was the irritating part. She didn't want to react to him. He pulled away from her. And once her head was more clear, she remembered how he looked at the woman he talked to in the hall at Sanctuary. He was in love with her for gods sake. Rosslyn had far too much going on. It was best if she just forgot about anything that she felt around Ethon Stark.

"Come on Rosie, give it to me." He taunted. Gods, he loved to watch her move. She was five foot, eight inches of athletically toned muscle combined with demon strength. All packaged up in his sweats. Damn, that was sexy. The sparing really showed off her curves and the way her muscles bunched and bounced as she maneuvered around him. Yum.

They twisted and struck, deflected and moved. It was a beautiful symphony of motions.

Rosslyn nailed Ethon across the ass as he jumped. "What the hell?"

She smirked. "You left it open prince charming."

Prince charming?

Ethon noticed the sarcasm behind the moniker. But damn, he liked it when she got playful. "Careful precious Rose. I play back. And I don't always play fair."

She scoffed. "I doubt that. Now focus."

Ethon growled as he moved to get her. She rolled and nailed a few more shots before Ethon dropped his sword and charged her. The moment he crashed into her, they both fell to the ground as his fingers reached up to tickle at her sides.

"Ouf. What do you think you are doing?" She snapped.

Ethon frowned. "You're not ticklish?"

"I guess not." A wicked grin slid across her lips. "Are you?" Her fingers dug everywhere with no reaction until she reached his inner thighs and he jerked away. "Oh! You are!" She tried to get to him again. But his hands fought to keep her away. Her hands were dangerously close to more than just ticklish spots.

They wrestled and rolled, laughing at it all, until Ethon had Rosslyn pinned under him. Her hands were gripped in his, above her head, his hips pressed intimately close between her thighs.

Time stood still. Both tried to catch their breath, chests heaved and rubbed against each other. Their eyes locked as they each debated what to do next.

Ethon wanted her. He shouldn't want her, but he did. And there below him was his precious Rose. She wasn't pushing him away. He swallowed as he tried to fight what he wanted. As his manhood grew harder, pressed into her soft warm core, he fought to pull away.

He pushed himself up and walked out of the room mumbling something about trying again tomorrow.

Rosslyn dropped her head to the mat and stared at the ceiling. "What in the hell was happening?"

* * *

A week passed as Rosslyn lived at Ethon's house. She had settled into a nocturnal schedule to match his. Since Dark-Hunters were cursed to burn in sunlight, it regulated their lives. Rosslyn could have followed a different schedule, but the whole point was for Ethon to keep an eye on her and help her train and explore more of who she was with her new powers. That couldn't happen if she was awake when he was asleep.

The two of them had found a fairly comfortable routine with it all. Though Rosslyn still made sure to clean everything and leave no trace that she was there. Ethon hadn't repeated that he didn't want her there after his conversation with Ash that first day. However, he never made a point of saying that she was welcome either.

He seemed to just tolerate it.

To tolerate her.

So, she didn't want to give him more of a reason to dislike her presence.

Most evenings, she would wake first and eat so that everything was clean before he came down stairs. She would get a chance to talk to Otto for a bit and ask questions about Dark-Hunters and Squire things. He had given her some of the manuals and every day basics for a Squire, hoping that it would her understand the world she found herself in a bit more. She hoped it would help jog her memories since she had been a Squire before her memory loss. Nothing really connected, but it all seemed familiar. It was easy to learn a second time. Still, no actual memories pulled out.

The lack of info was irritating her. She had started to see a pattern to it all though. She remembered general information. Things learned. Basic history, world news, song lyrics, even the characters of several books or movies. The stuff that she could not remember was the personal information. Who she was. What she did. Anything about her being a Squire or her life. She could remember who won the last World Cup, but could not remember if she even watched it. She knew movies and songs, but couldn't say if she had a favorite or why.

Her parents refused to call. They didn't want to look like they were going to try to fight the Council's orders that should Rosslyn screw up, they would kill her.

Whatever.

She couldn't remember them, so it didn't really bother her. In fact, the whole thing seemed to bother Otto more than Rosslyn.

After she ate and finished her phone calls with Otto, she would take her shower while Ethon came down to eat. It was easier that way. Ethon always woke with an erection. His lust called to her. So, it was best to keep a distance for the first half hour or so for him to deal with it and calm down before they spent time together. Not that she ever told him that she could sense his desire. She already knew he didn't want her. Yeah, he was attracted to her. She felt it from him all the time. But he pulled away after their kiss and his walls were rock solid.

He pushed her away. And she remembered the look in his eyes when he talked with the blond woman at Sanctuary. The one that was pregnant and mated to another man, Samia. Ethon looked at her with love. How could Rosslyn ever expect anything more than lust from a man who was obviously in love with someone he couldn't have.

So, she wouldn't go there.

"You're living with a Dark-Hunter. Why don't you ask him these questions?" Otto had asked during another conversation.

Rosslyn rolled her eyes even though she was on the phone. "Prince charming here doesn't answer much. Especially about himself. It's all random small talk and joking around, mostly to piss me off. So, help a girl out Otto." She fought to hide just how much she enjoyed Ethon's sense of humor and the kindness she occasionally saw.

"Fine. What do you want to know?"

She stirred a pot of chili as she talked to him on speaker. Rosslyn had decided to break out of her pattern of walking on eggshells around Ethon's home and give cooking a try. If she failed, at least she would know. So, she had ordered her groceries delivered and looked up a recipe on her phone.

"Well…" She began. "I have so many questions. But I was reading about the sun curse for the Dark-Hunters. Something about it bothered me. I don't know, I am being stupid I guess."

There was a very pregnant pause.

"Otto?"

She could hear him exhale. "Rosslyn, where are you going with this?"

"I don't know. I suppose I just wanted to know if there was any way to save them from that?" She murmured.

Ethon had been headed down the stairs when he heard Otto and Rosslyn talking. He couldn't understand why she cared. The girl lost any semblance of a normal life and she was worried about saving Dark-Hunters from the sun?

He shook his head as he walked into the kitchen. "There is nothing you can do for the curse. We just learn to live by avoiding the sun. End of story." The food she was cooking smelled amazing. It was a surprise to see her cooking in his kitchen.

Ethon leaned over the pot and breathed in the aroma and hummed in appreciation. That actually made Rosslyn smile. She had such a beautiful smile. It tugged at places inside Ethon that he had long ago thought had rotted away.

"But if you get your soul back, then you are free of the curse. Right?" She asked.

Ethon scoffed. "That is a very massive ' _ **if'**_. That all revolves around a Dark-Hunter finding someone that loves them enough to pass that stupid test to get the soul back. But what most people forget are the two significant factors that must be met first. One, for the Dark-Hunter to decide they want it. Two, for Artemis to be willing to part with said soul."

Rosslyn looked at him. "You make it sound like you hate the whole process."

He shrugged. "Not really. I don't want my soul, so I don't think of it much."

"Seriously?" She questioned.

"What? Get a soul so I could see the sun? No thanks. I don't need, nor want, mortality. Certainly not for a woman. Can't trust anyone but myself." That sounded harsh. Even to him. But he didn't want her to get any ideas.

"Such a pessimist." She growled.

Otto chuckled. "They all are in their own ways. You've just forgotten that lesson."

"Yeah, yeah. Go ahead prince charming. The chili's ready, you can have some." Then she picked up her phone. "Alright Otto, I'll let you go for now. Time to eat. I still can't believe I eat so much."

"It's all good, Blossom."

"Blossom?" She questioned.

"Sorry, old nickname. It will take me awhile to get used to you being different." There was a pause. "But before you hang up, can I talk to Ethon for a minute?" He asked.

Ethon raised a brow. Rosslyn frowned. "I suppose so." She handed the phone to Ethon.

"What's up?"

Otto asked if he could be taken off of speaker and then asked Ethon to move to another room.

"Enough with the cloak and dagger shit. What do you want to talk to me about?"

"Look, I know you don't really want Rosslyn there. But she is." Otto started. "So, I am asking you to seriously watch her."

Ethon frowned. "Do you really think that I need to be reminded of my duties?"

Otto growled. "What Rosslyn was asking about earlier, the part about protecting Dark-Hunters from the sun… I am worried that it could lead to her regaining memories."

"Shouldn't you want her to regain her memories?"

He sighed. "Not really. It would be better for her to move on and not remember. I don't know how she will handle it if she starts to piece it all together. I want to be there to help her, that is why I push. I push, hoping that it won't happen, but ready to rush over if it does. "

"That bad?" Ethon looked back in the kitchen as he watched Rosslyn serve out some chili and eat. Oblivious to the discussion.

"I talked about this with Ash and he encouraged me to tell you the truth since you would likely be the one who would see the signs."

Ethon's brows furrowed. He had been so focused on his pain, on his past, he hadn't thought about hers coming back to hurt her.

"Rosslyn's father is Blood Rites, like she was. Like I am. But her mother wasn't. She chose a quieter path, assigned to Lorelai Claire."

Ethon sucked his teeth sharply. "I was stationed with her in Paris about two hundred years ago. Feisty, but a good hunter. Sorry to hear she died a couple decades ago."

"Indeed." Otto said softly. "Did you ever hear about that fiasco with Kyrian and a daimon named Desiderius?"

Dark blond hair shifted as Ethon ran his fingers through. "Yeah."

"Lorelai was one of his targets before he went after Kyrian."

Desiderius was a demi-god. Half god and half Apollite, a cursed race destined to die at the age of twenty seven. He was rather pissy that daddy dearest couldn't be bothered to help save him from a horrific death. So, he turned daimon, feeding off of human souls to prolong his life. And he targetted Dark-Hunters with a vengeance. He was truly sadistic, taunting and tormenting his prey. The fool went after Kyrian Hunter and found himself exterminated. Later, he tried to be resurrected to go after Kyrian and his wife's family once again. The whole mess left deep scars for the family.

"How do you know it was Desiderius when Ash didn't know who his targets had been?"

Otto arched a brow. "I was assigned to Valerius Magnus when the daimon tried to return. I saw him. Saw what he did. How he worked. And it matched with the stories that Rosslyn told me. She never talked to anyone about what happened with Loralai, except to me. I was only able to confirm it after the those events when I mentioned Desiderius's name and she fell apart."

Ethon's eyes watched the girl in his home. "She had to have been young."

"Seven. She was seven. Rosslyn had grown up with Lorelai in Rome. Lorelai adored Rosslyn. And Desiderius knew that Lorelai had lost her own children in her human life. So, he used Rosslyn against her."

"Oh gods."

"He tormented Lorelai for weeks. Spat here, taunting there. A few broken bones. Hell, he even set her house on fire one morning, leaving her trapped in her basement for hours as the fire crews tried to dig her out and she prayed they didn't dig open a whole that would let sunlight in."

"Damn."

Otto continued. "Anyway. Rosslyn's mother was pregnant at the time, so Lorelai had sent her out of town to keep them safe. But Desiderius found them anyway. Rosslyn watched as the daimons fought over who was going to get to feed on her mother and unborn brother's souls. In the scuffle, Diana was knocked over and fell down some stairs. She lost the baby."

Rosslyn got up to make herself another bowl. She glanced at him. He turned and went back to the other room, further away from her.

"That must have been a horrifying experience for her." He said.

Otto continued. "Being taken and watching her mother lose the baby wasn't the worst." He paused. "Desiderius left them in some dank warehouse as bait for Lorelai. When she showed up, they were trapped with no ceiling. Rosslyn watched as Lorelai burned to ash while her mother lay unconscious and bleeding next to her. However, it wasn't the Squires or Dark-Hunters who found them first. It was some homeless man who had a thing for little girls and took the opportunity like he won the lottery."

Silence. Ethon could hear nothing but the furious beating of his own heart. How? How had she survived so much? She was a child!

Ethon was livid. He could kill every homeless man in Italy and not find the right one, but Desiderius had a name. He left a child to that fate! He wanted to resurrect the fucking bastard again just so that he could make him suffer.

He hadn't realized that his eyes filled with tears until Rose entered the room and reached up to wipe the single stray tear away from his cheek.

"What's wrong?" She whispered. "You're trembling."

He was shaking too badly to hide it. His rage wanted to consume him. But he couldn't tell her. It was her past, but he couldn't let her re-live that nightmare. He sure as hell couldn't tell her about his past and shame. A sore spot in his grief that her past touched.

With a shake of his head and a brief clearing of his throat, Ethon forced himself to regain control over himself.

Slowly, the walls that Ethon had built long ago were starting to crack. A sense of protectiveness flooded him as he understood why Otto had shown so much anger at finding his cousin unconscious and discussions of men having sex with her.

He ate his food quietly and thanked her for cooking. Really, the chili was very good. Yet, his mind was on other matters entirely.

Guilt racked him as he realized just how much he was sexually attracted to a girl who probably would never want to be touched if she remembered the past. It just made Azura's assault on her all the more deplorable.


	8. Chapter 8

Very little had changed over the following days.

Rosslyn had started to cook more.

However, Ethon still struggled with his sexual attraction to Rosslyn. He didn't want to be attracted to anyone that much. For a long list of reasons, the top of which was her past. However, he couldn't get his body to obey. So, he tried to keep more of a distance between them.

The only time Ethon interacted with Rosslyn for any length of time was when they would go up to the third floor loft and train.

Most of the time, it was just training. Martial arts moves, self-defense, and sword fighting.

It felt good for Rosslyn to use her muscles and find confidence in her ability to defend herself. Ethon told her that her demon blood made her a lot stronger.

However, once in awhile, something in the movements would trigger a surge in her powers. When she got angry, she would take on her demon form. And she was even stronger in that form. Though, she hadn't experienced rage in that form yet. They both hoped she never did.

It was obvious that she tended to have a lot of control over her emotions when she was fighting. Truly well trained to keep a battle calm.

The biggest concern was letting her out into the mortal world. If she was shoved by some stupid person passing her by, they weren't sure that she wouldn't just turn demon on them. Rosslyn didn't think she would lose her temper and hurt them. But suddenly sprouting horns with glowing eyes might draw a bit too much attention.

So, that became the focus of Ethon's training. Him trying to piss her off and her trying to stay in control. All followed by meditation. Yeah, because the guy that she was insanely attracted to, but didn't want her there pushed every button he could to piss her off for hours… now, she was expected to find peace?

Insert eye-roll and sarcasm here.

Worse was that her sexual hunger was growing exponentially. No relief. No satisfaction. And no interactions with anyone but Ethon, Otto, Acheron, Simi, and Simi's sister Xirena. Uggh!

By the end of the night, Ethon was in the living room playing online games with other Dark-Hunters while Rosslyn stayed in her room reading. There was only so much excitement to go around.

* * *

Ethon found himself watching Rose bathe in the waterfall again. It was the third time he had that dream through the week and a half. He couldn't seem to stop himself, no matter how much he argued with himself. She was so beautiful.

The dreams would always start with watching her. Gods, he felt like a pervert. But hell, it was a dream. Why not? Better than being a voyeur in real life. The last time, the dream progressed to making out with her. That one kiss in his hallway had shattered him. He was addicted to her lips, to her tongue. He wanted more. He just wouldn't touch the real woman in his home.

They hadn't crossed the lines of sex. He just couldn't even dream about going there.

He knew that if he crossed those lines, he would want more in the waking world. She didn't remember her past, but he knew. He couldn't take advantage of her that way. She couldn't consent without all of the information.

And if he ever did give in, he would never be happy with just once. He wanted her that much. Enough to break all of the rules. Yet, he refused to let her in deeper than that.

What a mess.

So, everything stayed in his dreams. It was like he was getting to know her. Start a relationship. However, it was all in his head. He shook his head at how pathetic that made him. In his conscious mind, he didn't want any relationship. He didn't want any woman to weaken him, to know about him. Yet, in his dreams, he was creating something he shouldn't want.

At least it was a safer dream than others. He had found her wandering through some of his more personal dreams a couple of times. Memories of his training, battles, even his brother and his family. Ethon had been furious over the invasion of privacy. Yet, in the waking world, Rosslyn seemed to have no knowledge of the dreams. He had even tested her to see if the dreams were really her. Nothing. No connection to the dreams and the waking world except for the bizarre issue with seeing a tattoo and glowing eyes before he had seen them in the real flesh.

Rosslyn stopped bathing and turned to him. "Why am I here again?"

He grinned. "I don't really know. It's just a dream. But I do like this dream."

"I like this dream too." She said. "Being with you."

Then her face creased into a frown as she looked around. "But I don't like it here. Dreaming."

"Why?" He liked having her here.

"I remember here." She shook her head. "I don't remember when I'm awake. I don't want to remember. You're the only part I miss. I like this dream version of you. But when I wake, I can't remember why I feel so connected to you, just that I do." Her voice was barely above a whisper. She wrapped a towel around her and walked further from Ethon.

He stood from his seat on the rock. "What do you mean?"

Rose watched him carefully. He could see her mind thinking about everything. Just as she opened her mouth to talk to him, he was jolted awake by his ringing phone.

Ethon rubbed his eyes. He was seriously confused by his dreams.

"What do you want?" He barked into the phone.

* * *

It was Friday night. Simi had called Rosslyn as soon as she woke up and asked if she wanted to go out dancing with her. Ash had already called Ethon.

Rosslyn was very weary of the idea. She hadn't left Ethon's house since she woke up there more than a week prior. She and Ethon both expressed concerns about her keeping her inner demon from showing in public. But Simi scoffed at her. She told Rosslyn that her brother and several other charonet demons ran the club. They all stayed in their demon form except for their wings, which just got in the way as they worked through the crowds.

Everyone agreed to meet at the club around eight. It would be an experiment. Ethon would walk her to the club, a chance to deal with more quiet crowds first, but ready to get her out of public eye if needed. Then at the club, she could meet others related to Simi. Perhaps she could learn more about what she was capable of. And if she felt that she was getting too edgy, she could find a corner and choose to change into her demon self in private and then return, not looking much different from the staff.

Ethon and Rosslyn stepped out onto the streets. The only time that she remembered being out on the crowded streets of the French Quarter was when she was chased by the demon that took her from Sanctuary.

As they walked, her eyes looked everywhere. It was all new to her.

She liked the older charm of the area. The red brick buildings, the brightly painted wooden trims, the wrought iron fences, and hanging plants from the balconies. She could smell the food in the air and her stomach growled.

"Ethon, can we eat?" She asked as she pointed to a restaurant across the road.

He looked up at the ACME Oyster House and cringed. "You ate already. You can wait until we get to the club."

Rosslyn frowned at his reaction, but she didn't ask. She had learned. Ethon could joke and be charming when he wanted to, which was very rare outside of training, however, he never answered anything personal about himself. Why in the hell did Acheron insist she stay with him. The man was confusing and irritating and… man did she want to jump his bones. Damn it.

The rest of the walk was silent as he watched to make sure she didn't go all nuclear or something.

Ethon had been nervous about the whole thing. There were just too many risks. He didn't want her to lose control or hurt anyone, even accidentally. She still didn't understand her strength. And the Squire's Council had made their orders very clear. Ethon didn't want her to get hurt. Especially not for an accident. Then, there was the fear that Noir would come after her. He shook his head.

After what Otto had told him, Ethon had become more protective of her than he had already been. It ate at him as his emotions ran places that he didn't want them to run to.

He ground his teeth to stay focused.

It was no use. His head bounced between the need to be protective, the desire to push her away and run like hell from anything close to attachment, and the raging lust that surged through his veins. Why in the fuck did Acheron send her clothes to wear to the club?

A short plaid skirt in black and grey, a tight black tank that showed off her flat stomach, and a sexy as hell leather jacket, all paired with the knee high biker boots she wore the first day they found her. The cold night air of March hardened her nipples, which strained against her bra and top, almost as much as his throbbing anatomy strained against his pants.

Even the spirits of the dead noticed her. And they had plenty of perverse things to say. Being one of the few Dark-Hunters strong enough to fight off possession had its advantages sometimes. However, his anger grew, having to listen to the fucking cat calls and bantering that would be at home in a brothel, all focused on his girl…

WTF? Did he just think of her as ' _ **his girl'**_?

" _Just kill me now_." He grumbled to himself.

When they finally made it to the club, they found that it wasn't open yet. Rosslyn called Ash, who opened the door.

"Thought the first meeting should be a little more private. The place opens in an hour."

She nodded. Once inside, Simi ran to tackle Rosslyn to the ground.

Rosslyn laughed as she hugged the demon. Ethon watched and fought his own smile. He really liked the sound of her laughter. It was a shame she rarely had a reason to laugh around him. Of course, that would take him actually being nice to her. Something he was desperately trying to not do.

"So, Acheron says that you're some kind of mutant." A male voice called down to Rosslyn. She looked up at a male demon. He stood well over six feet with black hair and blue skin swirled with orange.

"I never used the word mutant." Ash corrected.

"Xeddy, you's be nice to the Simi's sister." Simi scolded.

He just shrugged. "I am your brother, by more than just drinking your blood. It trumps… whatever she is." He said gesturing haphazardly toward Rosslyn.

Rosslyn sighed. "Great. Another place where I am not wanted."

Ethon's chest tightened. He really didn't want her to feel that way around him. He just didn't know how to keep his walls up any other way. Knowledge was power and he couldn't trust anyone with that power over him.

Xedrix watched the human girl in front of him. She seemed to soft. He didn't know why his sister gave the girl her blood.

"Xeddy, the Simi said be nice. Rosie is family. She's quality peoples." Simi defended Rosslyn. Rosslyn almost smiled at the girls use of Rosie as a nickname. Everyone else called her Rosslyn, except Ethon who called her Rose and occasionally Rosie. It still made her feel like a schoolgirl with a crush when he did that.

"It's alright Simi." Rosslyn soothed. "As long as you and Xirena like me, then I have a sisters. Everyone else can just kiss my naturally tanned ass."

Acheron and Ethon tried to hold in the surprised laughter, unsuccessfully. Her voice had been so calm and relaxing, that her last statement came out of left field and shocked them all.

"How about I take a bite out of that ass?" Xedrix growled. "Demon, human, don't really matter what you are. Meat is meat."

Xirena stepped between her brother and Rosslyn. She may not have fully understood Simi most of the time, but she had accepted Rosslyn as family. She would protect her. Even from her brother.

Rosslyn's temper flared at Xedrix's threat. She slipped into her demon form. "I have no idea how I would stand against you. However, one thing I do know, is that I don't cower. I will fight back." She reached out and squeezed Xirena's hand. "With or without help. I will fight."

By the end of her words, other charonets flew down from the ceiling where they had remained during introductions. Rosslyn hadn't known they were there until they landed. She wasn't sure if they were there to fight her as well, but she stood her ground and raised a brow.

"Do you really need the backup to take on a mutant?" She asked Xedrix.

He finally cracked a smile. "Eh. Not when I want to eat them. But you're like my sisters enough that I won't eat you. At least not yet." Then he turned to walk away while the other charonet's looked at her.

One male puffed out his chest and strolled up to her. He had black skin marbled with blue swirls and unnaturally green eyes. His wings twitched as they dragged behind him. But it was the fact that he wore black leather pants that accentuated his figure and no shirt that really showed off his well formed muscles.

"I like your colors." His deep voice drolled. Rosslyn could sense his lust and she could feel her body respond.

"She's my sister!" Xedrix yelled. "You touch her, I'll eat you… without hot sauce!"

The demon gulped and retreated.

That was a very odd encounter.

Acheron chuckled as he walked up to drape a long arm across her shoulders. "That was fun."

She scowled at him. "You have way too much fun at other people's expense."

"That I do." He smirked. "And just imagine, you're joining my family." Rosslyn looked over at him. "I raised Simi. She is my daughter in every way that matters, except blood. So, now you can't get rid of me." Rosslyn growled at him. He just laughed.


	9. Chapter 9

Eventually, Rosslyn did get to meet the other demons they chatted as they started to get the club ready to open. They were confused as to why she didn't have wings, but seemed alright with it since her eyes glowed. They all liked her eyes.

She learned that Xedrix was married to a dimme demon and they had a child together. He was very protective and wasn't ready to introduce her to his family until they were more sure of her stability. Rosslyn could respect that. She didn't want to hurt anyone either.

Simi and Xirena showed her that they could turn into other shapes and sizes, like dragons. And they could shoot fire from her mouth.

Rosslyn wasn't ready to try that one yet, but stored the information for later.

Simi and Acheron explained bonding and Rosslyn watched as Simi became smoke and drifted onto Ash's skin in the form of a tattoo and then returned to her previous form. Rosslyn was fascinated by that and had lots of questions.

That explained so much about Simi and Ash's relationship.

Ethon watched her interact with the charonets. She tried to hide her joy. Yet, it still showed.

"How are things going at the house?" Ash asked as he walked up to Ethon.

Ethon shrugged. "I don't know what the goal is exactly. But things are alright I guess."

"You guess?"

"She's quiet." Except during training. Then he saw her intelligence, her strength, her occasional laughter, her adorable scowles. He wouldn't admit that to Acheron though. And the dreams… he had to remind himself that wasn't really her.

Ash sighed. "Well, it would be difficult to carry much of a conversation when you don't feel welcome and you can't remember much more than a week of life."

Ethon rolled his eyes. "What do you want from me Acheron? She's safe. We train. She is gaining more control over her choice to change so she won't slip up. I don't know yet what she'll do when she's really angry or around people. We haven't had any problems with other demons or Noir."

With a deep breath, Ash refrained from telling the former Greek prince to pull his head out of his ass and talk to the girl. It had to be his choice. Free will could be a bitch sometimes.

* * *

Rosslyn returned to human form before the doors opened.

She enjoyed wandering around, between the crowds. The music helped her relax and feel more at peace with herself. She felt less isolated there among both demons and humans. Most of the time, she danced with Simi and Xirena or snacked at the bar and talked to the staff. Still, it was nice to get out.

The only problem was that she could sense the lust from so many people around her. It was feeding into her own hunger. As time ticked on, she was finding it harder to fight against her urges. Especially as men approached her. Some flirted, some asked her to dance, a few idiots tried to slide in and dance with her as though she had already agreed.

One guy danced his way in behind her and received an elbow in the gut before he stormed off, calling her a bitch. Rosslyn rolled her eyes. Simi was ready to go after him and feast herself. However, Rosslyn held her back. She was just happy to have kept control over her own anger enough to be among people for a few hours.

Rosslyn craved sex. But she really didn't have any interest in random casual sex. She had a difficult time trusting anyone. She couldn't understand why she trusted Ethon in that way. Perhaps it was the way he was obviously attracted to her, and yet didn't rush into anything?

Uhhh. That sounded lame. His rejection made her trust him? No.

There was something more to it. She just didn't know what.

Shaking the thoughts from her head, she focused on releasing her tension through her dancing. Just her and Simi, and sometimes Xirena.

Ethon watched her. He watched her body move, her muscles relaxed, her hips swayed and breasts bounced. His body was on fire and hard enough to use as a hammer. So, he kept his distance. He knew that if he approached her, he wouldn't be able to stop himself from kissing her. Gods, he wanted to carry her back home and make passionate love to her for the rest of the night.

The song changed and had a rich Middle Eastern beat incorporated through the Western song. Rosslyn's hips flowed sensuously as her body naturally followed in belly dance moves. Obviously, the girl had learned a few things of her father's culture. Ethon had to gulp as he drooled over the sight. That girl was going to be the absolute death of him.

After the song, Rosslyn stopped at the bar and ordered some shrimp cocktail. It sounded less messy than her previous order of chicken wings. Simi opened her coffin shaped purse and offered to let Rosslyn have some barbeque sauce. Rosslyn shook her head. The cocktail sauce was just fine with a little extra hot sauce.

"Well, there you two are." A familiar voice called out behind them. Rosslyn turned to see Nick. She hadn't seen him since her first night when she tried to attack him. Her cheeks flushed at the memory.

Simi popped up. "Oh! The Simi should go. Nice to see you's again Nicky." Then she scurried away.

Rosslyn frowned after her. "Was I just set up?"

Nick laughed. "No. Not really. Ash gets rather touchy about Simi and I being in the same vicinity." Rosslyn looked at him. "Long story."

"Okay…"

"Anyway, daddy dearest, thought that we should test out your reactions around me. Part of me wanted to tell him to fuck off. But that wouldn't be fair to you." Nick sat at the stool next to Rosslyn.

Her brows creased. "Why?"

"Because whatever history Ash and I have, that is not your fault. I won't put you in the middle."

Rosslyn shook her head. "Not what I mean. Why does it matter that you meet me again?"

He looked at her carefully. "I think you know why."

Ethon wasn't happy that Nick and Rosslyn were talking. He could see her eyes start to glow subtly. Would he trigger her into full demon form in public?

"Because you are the…" Nick cut her off.

"That is closely guarded knowledge cher. But at least you are not attacking me and don't seem to be trying to call Noir."

Rosslyn rolled her eyes. "Yeah, sorry about the attacking and shit."

Nick threw her a cocky grin. "Had it been under different circumstances, I wouldn't have minded in the slightest."

She could feel his desire roll through her. Her breasts grew tight and her breath caught for a moment. She could feel that ache in her belly coil tighter. But something about it all felt off. He had walls thicker than Ethon's, still tinged with that oily slickness of anger and pure evil.

She looked around and saw Ethon watch her. His muscles coiled tightly, ready to move into action to pull her away if she lost control. Yet, it was the intensity of his black eyes that singed her.

Two men.

One man, she wanted, but he refused to do anything. The other seemed more willing, but something held her back. She was attracted to both and honestly trusted both. Not that she could understand why. She just did.

Rosslyn sighed as she turned back to Nick. "Simi made it sound as though you knew me before?"

Nick nodded his head. "We were friends years ago. We knew each other online. We only met in person once, and you looked very different then. I'm sorry that I didn't recognize you right away."

"It was more than friendship, wasn't it?"

That cocky grin grew. "One of the best nights of my life. Would have asked you to be my girlfriend if you stayed in town."

She blushed and looked down. "Nice to know."

He leaned over so that his breath ghosted across the shell of her ear. "Your eyes are glowing you know."

She quickly closed her eyes. "The rest of me?"

"Still human."

The close proximity to her made her hunger surge. She was no longer under the influence of drugs or spells, but she knew she could trust him. And that sparked her body in ways that only Ethon had been able to do before.

"Is everything alright Rose?" Ethon's voice was tight.

Nick leaned back. "What's the matter E? You look a little green."

Rosslyn's eyes snapped open and looked at Ethon. Was he jealous? She looked back at Nick who smirked and shook his head.

"Looks like I am no longer invited to the party. My number is in your phone cher. If you need help, call me. For old times sake." He winked and then left.

Rosslyn looked up at Ethon as he glared after Nick. Her heart skipped a little beat. He really was jealous. She stood up and faced him.

Ethon looked down at Rose. A seductive little smile played on her lips.

"Were you really getting jealous there prince charming?" She asked.

Ethon's cheeks tinged a bit. What in the hell was happening to him? He had never blushed a day in his life. Why now? Over something so small?

But as she leaned in to kiss him, he glanced back at the bar. Damn it. He pulled back.

"I was just making sure you were alright." He growled and left quickly.

Rosslyn's heart sank.

Rejected again.

When was she going to give up? Maybe Nick was a better choice?

Her emotions were on overdrive and she knew she would erupt into demon form if she didn't get out of there, so she ran to the restroom to hide.

* * *

"Your boy is an idiot." Thorn said as he sat down next to Acheron.

Ash sighed. "Yes he is. Just not in the way you think." He paused as he watched Nick, Ethon and Rosslyn head in different directions. "However, none of it is your concern."

Thorn grinned, his flaming green eyes flashed in amusement. "Demons on the loose are always my concern."

Acheron looked straight at him. "Charonet's are my concern. Not yours."

"But she is not only charonet. An interesting mix. I'm honestly surprised she's held up so well."

Ash knew Thorn was trying to bait him, but he already figured out what the first donation of blood was. And Ethon was not going to like it. "Indeed."

"Seriously Ash. Her hunger will only grow. If she loses control, she could be deadly. Do you honestly think your boy's up to the task?"

"We'll find out."


	10. Chapter 10

Ethon paced inside his dream. He hurt Rose. He saw it in her eyes. Still, he couldn't bring himself to explain that it wasn't her that he pulled away from, but the damn shrimp she ate. He couldn't trust anyone to know.

Never again.

Iairos had betrayed him with that knowledge. It had brought the proud Athenian prince down. Left him weak and at the mercy of his enemies. Over nothing more than jealousy.

Before he could stop it, the dream shifted to the day he found out about his ridiculous weakness.

"How can you be so skilled with sharpened blades and such an idiot with fruit?" Iairos laughed as Ethon failed to juggle the apples they had been playing with as they sat in the orchard just outside of the palace gates.

Ethon grinned. "It's a skill. Be willing to look the fool thousands of times until you perfect it."

"Don't let your men see this fool. You can't lead an army if you can't hold their respect. Then, they will look to your brother for help." Iairos snarked at him.

It had been years since Ethon had seen his home or his family. As the eldest son of the king, he was expected to become a great soldier and a great leader who would defend Athens from its enemies. As such, he was sent to the Spartans to be trained when he was barely six years old. His younger brother was supposed to join him a year later, but their mother begged to leave one son with her. So, Ioel had managed to remain in the palace and trained by tutors there, escaping the harsh brutality of Spartan training.

Ethon never hated his brother for their different paths, it just left him alone in Sparta. He had missed his brother and his family. All the more so, since the Spartan's held no love for favoritism or Athenians. Not that there ever was favoritism toward him. In fact, it had been the opposite. Ethon quickly became the target of their frustrations and whims. Those above him made their dislike of his title very clear and would go out of their way to set him up for more punishments. Foreign princes were lower than dirt in the eyes of his comrades.

Ethon learned very fast to never trust those he trained with. Never turn his back on anyone. And never wait to be given anything, because the only things that would come where starvation and beatings. It was only with blood and pain that he learned to dish out, that he gained any reprieve from the attentions.

The only exception had been Iairos. Iairos stood by Ethon's side as the others tried to drag him down.

In the ten years since he left for Sparta, Iairos had been his only friend. A foreigner of noble blood, like Ethon, Iairos was handed some tough blows as well. Nephew to King Agamemnon of Mycenae, Iairos had a slightly easier time as his other uncle was also King of Sparta. Still, it didn't carry much leniency.

When they were younger, they lived worse than the beggars and fishmongers in Athens. Over time, they learned to take what they needed at the end of a sword. Few dared to raise a brow to either of them any more. Still, it was nothing compared to life in the palace.

Ethon's brief return home was only to join the latest Athenian reinforcements headed to Illion. The Greeks had been at war for four years already, all to fetch the Spartan queen from her lover's bed.

Iairos went with him, intent on meeting up with his uncle once he got there.

The two boys soaked up the peace and decadence before they left for war. Neither were used to such rich foods or soft beds any more. It would be difficult to leave.

There had been so much peace in that orchard for a few hours.

"Tell me Iairos, what will you miss most when we go to war?" Ethon asked.

His friend laughed. "The women. We might not have had many around the camps, but Zeus only knows how many will be with us at war."

Ethon grinned. "You know, your dick will get you into trouble one day. Aphrodite, please protect Iairos's future wife."

"Like you're any better!"

The two continued to tease and laugh as they joined Ethon's parents and brother for supper. The food was mouth watering. They sampled everything.

But after eating a couple of mussels, Ethon started to feel sick. His face and lips began to swell. His breathing was labored. His father immediately sent for the physician. And he was carried to his room.

"Yet another thing to hide from your men." Iairos's voice droned.

Ethon rolled over in pain. "What happened?"

"Apparently you pissed off Poseidon because you ate seafood and your face just looked nasty. Definitely not getting women looking like that." He teased.

"How long was I asleep?" Ethon asked.

Iairos shrugged. "A couple of days. I was worried that the food would kill you when Spartan's couldn't. How ironic would that be?"

Ethon grinned. "You should know by now. I am too stubborn to die."

"That you definitely are." Iairos laughed. "Just to be sure, you might want to make offerings to Poseidon and avoid seafood for a while."

He wasn't so sure about the offerings, but avoiding shellfish, he did that to the extreme. If only he knew then, that Iairos would use that knowledge against him. That he would be betrayed by a friend that he loved as a brother.

Ethon groaned as he tried to push the memory away. A soft hand caressed his arm as he remained in the bed the physician had placed him in. His eyes snapped open to see Rosslyn.

"I'm sorry you were so sick." She whispered. "You could have just told me that you were allergic to shellfish."

"Get out! Get out of my dreams. Get out of my head!" He screamed at her. His memories were private. He never shared them. He sure as hell didn't trust her being in his head like that.

Rosslyn quickly backed away and ran. But rather than her disappearing from his view, the scene changed. She tripped and fell to the floor where she cried.

Only, it wasn't the Rose he knew. She was a child with long honey brown hair, lighter than the dark brown he had caught glimpses of in other dreams. The girl cried as she held a woman close to her. The woman looked so much like Rosslyn that Ethon assumed she was her mother, her stomach round with child, but her dress was slowly darkening as blood seeped from under her.

He looked up to see two daimons scowl down at the waste of a soul.

Rosslyn's head snapped up and she grabbed a shard of glass nearby. Her little body shook in rage as she ran after the daimons. They had been so busy laughing at the little girl, that they didn't notice the glass as she sliced one across the chest and he exploded into golden dust before the other could restrain her.

Ethon's eyes went wide. Why would his mind create something like that? Could that be a real memory of her past? He started to move toward the child to comfort her from the memory, but before he could get there, he stopped as he heard Otto's voice.

"Why did you pull me into your lies?"

The dream shifted again and a teenage version of Rose rolled across a disheveled bed, naked. Ethon groaned at the sight of her until he saw the rest of the scene. There was a very naked man laying face down next to her as she answered her phone.

"Because I knew you would cover for me." She whispered.

Otto's voice growled. "What was so important that I had to lie to your father? Where are you?"

"I'm at Nick's." Ethon's breath caught. Oh shit. "Otto, I don't need a lecture. Just come pick me up."

She hung up just as Nick started to roll over. The kid didn't have the Dark-Hunter mark and looked truly happy as he pulled Rosslyn back toward him. He wasn't the same man that Ethon had been working with.

"Please don't go yet." He murmured.

She nibbled on his shoulder. "I have a flight to catch. And if my father found out about this, you would be dead. So, best to not miss my flight."

"Rosslyn." He whispered.

She shook her head. "Don't Nick. I don't regret this. But we both knew it couldn't last." She kissed him. Deeply. Passionately.

Ethon was filled with jealousy. The rage from the prior betrayal of his memories mixed in.

"Why him?" He bellowed.

Rosslyn looked up at Ethon. "Because he made me feel safe and strong. He didn't treat me like I was fragile. Nor did he expect me to be indestructible. He saw me as a strong woman who still needed a kind touch. Until you, he was the only man that I truly trusted intimately."

Yet, Ethon didn't want to hear it. She was messing with his head. And that drew all of his focus. His anger. His jealousy.

He pulled at his hair as he tried to focus his thoughts and his emotions. No. He needed to keep her away. She had messed with him enough. She had a history with Gautier. They obviously had a connection still, if the club was any sign. And she needed to stay the hell out of his dreams.

It was like Samia all over again. Taking an interest in women that chose someone else.

He wouldn't let it happen again. He had to stop thinking about her like that. Keep her out of his dreams. Out of his head. Somehow, he would make it happen.

* * *

The following week was more tense between Ethon and Rosslyn. She found that she called Simi and even Nick more often, just to have some connection to the outside world. Otto left town for a bit. So, Nick had become her most constant companion, helping her understand so much.

Since her night out dancing, her sexual hunger had increased to the point that she found it difficult to focus. She tried to hide her reactions from Ethon. The times when her hands were shaky or her skin flushed. She tried to find her own release in the shower, but nothing helped. And she refused to open the topic with Ethon. She knew she would be rejected again.

Ethon woke early and headed down stairs. For the first time since he met her, he had managed to keep Rose out of his dreams entirely. And that meant he hadn't woken up with wood. Thank the gods, he was getting somewhere. He had spent all week running from her anytime she showed up in his dreams.

He stepped into the kitchen as he saw Rosslyn fidgeting while she talked to Nick. Of course, it was Nick.

"Rosslyn, you can't lie to me. What's wrong?" Nick asked.

She sighed. "That is none of your business." Rosslyn didn't want to open the topic of sex with him. She really loved talking to him, but he might see it as an invitation.

Rose closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around herself. She felt like she was starting to go crazy again, back on the drugs. All she could think about was sex. Wanting sex. But she didn't trust most men that way. Not that she had really met many since she lost her memories. But Nick and Ethon were the only two she had met that she actually trusted and she didn't know why.

"Damn it. You know that I can read your thoughts." Nick growled.

Rosslyn blushed. "Well, stay out of my head. Or, if you are in there, at least offer something helpful."

"You know the answer. Sex. You need to have sex."

Oh. Ethon was definitely not sticking around while they had phone sex together or worse, Nick was invited over.

He walked straight out of the house.

Rosslyn sighed again as the front door slammed shut. "Yeah, that's not happening."


	11. Chapter 11

Ethon wandered around the French Quarter without a destination in mind. He just couldn't understand how he had let everything happen. He let himself care for a girl who wanted someone else. Again. Only it was worse that time. She lived in his house, so there was no escape.

Hell, he wasn't sure if he did really care for her or some fictitious version of her that he created in his dreams. Was he that desperate to get over Samia that he finally lost all hold on reality? Created a relationship that wasn't there?

He was completely losing his mind. And he couldn't blame it all on the voices that he always heard from the dead. No, that was a different kind of insanity.

Memories assaulted him as he wandered around.

The war in Illion was finally over. It had taken ten years to finally bring the city to ruin. All thanks to a hollow wooden horse and a few strong men. The famed Achilles, among them. Ethon had learned a lot from the Myrmidon prince. As the prince of Athens, he had been included on war councils, out of honor and respect for his title, at first. He was expected to stay quiet as the young boy who had yet seen battle. Over time though, he gained everyone's respect, including Achilles and Agamemnon.

However, the war was over. Ethon was able to return home. Iairos departed with Agamemnon. Ethon took his time to make sure everyone left that was supposed to. By the time he returned to Athens, the city and his family celebrated the end of the war. But they also heaped praise on the fierce Amazon who had entered the city after escorting Helen back to her Spartan King.

The Amazon had arrived in Athens a few days before Ethon and had already fallen for his younger brother. How had he not seen her in Illion first?

Eventually, word arrived that Agamemnon was dead. Iairos's father was at the heart of the scandal and executed, so the family fled Mycenae. Ethon welcomed them in Athens. He knew they were innocent of his father's crimes. Even the new king of Mycenae, Orestes held mercy for Agamemnon's sister and her children.

Over the following few years, Iairos married. So did Ethon's brother, with Samia. Ethon smiled and congratulated them, hiding his secret love for the Amazon. He watched as they both started families. And he loved their children deeply.

His father had tried to arrange for Ethon's marriage, but nothing really came of it. It was a source of tension between father and son. Ethon resented that his father acted as if he knew him. He had been shipped off to Sparta at the age of six, only to spend two weeks at home before leaving for war, a few months before he turned seventeen. He didn't return until he was twenty two.

However, Sparta, still high from the victory of Illion, at everyone else's expense, grew cocky and greedy. They sought to expand their reach while the fighting forces were diminished from war and tired. Ethon lead his father's forces against the stupidity.

The Spartan's had truly come to fear him. He was fierce, organized, and effective. After all, they had trained him well. He had stopped them every step of the way. Until one day, he received word that Ioel and Samia had been killed. He rushed home as fast as he could, only to find that his brother and niece had already been cremated. Samia's body had disappeared. Her sister was dead the next day.

He knew what had happened. He knew what she had found her revenge. The only question was where she had gone?

Ethon grieved over each of the lives lost. A brother he loved, a niece he cherished, and an Amazon queen that he would always hold in his heart.

Iairos had carried him away to his home, where his wife and family had tended to Ethon in his time of need. It was an act that warmed Ethon's heart, but laid the seeds of his ruin.

Iairos's wife had tried to join Ethon's bed. However, the prince wouldn't accept her offer and fled as quickly as possible.

When he next saw Iairos as they readied for another battle, Iairos said nothing. But he could tell that his friend had taken offense at his sudden departure. Ethon just couldn't bring himself to tell his friend of his wife's behavior.

Unfortunately, what Ethon had not realized was that Iairos had suspected much more than his wife's attempts. He believed that Ethon had sought comfort in her arms. Perhaps she had even told him as much. Either way, his suspicions were strengthened when she grew round with child and the baby was born with blond hair, rather than the brown of both parents.

Iairos flew into a rage and attacked Ethon in their campaign tent. Nothing Ethon said would get through to the man.

When Iairos left, he did the one thing he had never expected his friend to do. He went to the Spartans. His wife and children were abandoned and disgraced. Iairos was named a traitor to Athens. And Ethon then faced his best friend on the battlefield.

The man that grew up with Ethon, lived with him, knew his routines and weaknesses, betrayed him to his enemies. All over a woman that Ethon had rejected because he loved his friend too much to have crossed those lines.

Ethon never should have been surprised when he finally fell.

Word had come that Samia had been found alive and captured. She was to be taken to the main war camp by a small group of scouts. Had Ethon stopped to think, he would have known that Samia never would have been captured so easily. But in his rush to save her, he charged in with only a few men and no reinforcements.

The ambush was well planned and he was outnumbered twenty to one. Iairos had used his love for Samia against him. And he was ready. However, Ethon's rage was enough to bring the overwhelming force down all by himself.

If it wasn't for Iairos, he would have succeeded. Two arrows grazed his skin. Within seconds, he knew what Iairos had done. He had dipped the arrows in shellfish.

His face swelled, his breathing labored. Slowly, he lost consciousness.

* * *

Ethon returned home a little before sunrise. The walking and fighting as he happened upon daimons helped to burn off some of his agitation. He still didn't know what to do or how to maintain control while Rosslyn was in his house. However, he had needed the break and distance for a few hours.

He walked through the entryway as he heard an odd sound from upstairs. Slowly, curiosity and his need to know his surroundings, Ethon made his way toward Rose's room. The door was cracked open as he looked inside.

She tossed and turned in the throes of a nightmare. Her breathing was rapid and uneven.

"Lorelai." She whispered.

Ethon froze. Damn it. Once again, Ethon was struck by how much he focused on his own pains and forgot what she was going through. It couldn't be easy to forget everything about herself, be forced to become a demon, and get locked up in his home. He wasn't even nice to her.

Then, to dream about the past that she forgot…

Oh shit.

She had said that she didn't have dreams. But she was obviously dreaming. About her past. Her memories.

Was it all breaking? Was she regaining her memories?

Or was it all real in his dreams?

Fuck!

It couldn't be. Could it?

It was really Rosslyn in his dreams. Her memories of when she was a child, of the daimons, of Lorelai, of Nick…

Before he could stop himself, Ethon entered her room and pulled her into his arms. His hands slid over her back and through her hair soothingly.

"Shhh, my precious Rose. You are safe." He murmured against her temple. Her body relaxed and her breathing evened out. Before long, Ethon fell asleep. Fully clothed, in Rosslyn's bed, as he held her.

His dreams led him back to the waterfall, where Rose wore a swimsuit and sat along the edge.

"Are you alright?" He asked her.

She barely glanced at him. "You don't really care."

He took a deep breath and sat down next to her. "That's not true."

Her black and blue locks swayed over her shoulders and she shook her head. "I remember. When I am here, I remember all of it. I remember my past. I remember my present. Living in your house. The way you avoid me. My confusion. My hunger. All of it."

The water made a deep 'plop' sound as she threw a rock into it.

"The worst is that I can learn so much here, about you. Then, when I wake up, I don't know it. I just remember my emotions. I know you are angry that I learned anything about you. You have your walls. But when I am awake, I don't know that. It feels like you hate me."

His chest was tight. "I don't hate you." He whispered.

"No. You hate yourself." She stood up. "And you don't trust me not to betray you in some way." Then she walked away.

"What happened?" Ethon called after her.

She stopped. "What specifically are you asking about?"

Ethon watched her. "Lorelai."

Lips pressed together. "You hide everything of who you are. You don't share anything. But you want me to just dump my most horrifying memories for you?"

"You already know about the shellfish!" He yelled.

She spun on him. "Not because you told me. I only know because of these fucked up dreams together. And you hate that I know about it. You don't trust me. And I don't even know why it's so important to you."

"Knowledge can be used against you. My secrets keep me safe. They keep you safe." He roared.

Her voice dropped. "They also keep you alone."

Ethon closed his eyes. Weeks of seeing her every day, getting to know her for the sharp, strong, caring woman that she was. Ethon was falling for her. As much as he fought it, as much as he didn't want to, it was the truth. But she had Nick.

Before he could stop it, the scene changed around them to his memory of earlier that night. Of her talking to Nick.

He looked over at her as she watched the scene from his perspective.

"You have someone." He whispered. "I am used to being alone."

Rosslyn shook her head and changed the scene to Ethon talking to Samia in the hall outside of her recovery room. "Nick is my friend. But she is more to you. So, don't you dare start throwing mud at me."

That sent Ethon over the edge. "You don't know anything about Samia or our past." He roared.

"No I don't. I only know that small piece. Because you refuse to tell me anything about yourself and get angry when I do learn the smallest fragment. Whatever your past is, you need to get the hell over it."

"Like you are one to talk. You don't remember your past at all."

She growled back. "Not when I am awake. But I do here. I remember Lorelai. I remember being raped as a child. I remember facing it in my own ways and talking to Otto. I remember trusting Nick to be the man that I tested myself with. And tried to move on."

He froze. "What?"

Her lungs expanded as she took a deep breath. "I love Nick. As a friend. I will always love Nick. _**As a friend**_. He was the first man that I ever willingly gave myself to. I needed to know. For my sanity, I needed to know if I could face that kind of intimacy after my past. And the fact that he didn't treat me like I had to be the fierce Squire every second of my life and didn't know my past to try to wrap me in bubble wrap, that made him all the more special to me. I was just Rosslyn. Not damaged Rosslyn. Not Blood Rites Rosslyn. Just Rosslyn. And because of Nick, I found hope. Hope that I could find a man that I truly loved, that I could be with and trust without fear. For that, I will _**always**_ love Nick."

"But you two were talking about sex earlier." Ethon grumbled.

"Because I crave it. It is slowly driving me crazy wanting it so much. Nick thinks that the first demon blood that was given to me was succubus blood."

His eyes filled with pain. So, she didn't really want him after all. He was just a male body to scratch an itch.

Rosslyn turned her back to Ethon. Her voice was barely above a whisper. "I need sex. Yet somehow, I still carry my lack of trust even in the waking world. I don't want sex with random men. I don't even feel attracted to random men. I sense their lust, and it makes me more hungry. But it's like being offered stale potato chips when I know that there is a five star steak dinner around the corner. I don't want them."

Ethon walked up behind her. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"I don't really understand it either. Until just today, when Nick and I were talking about it, I hadn't realized just how bad it was getting. I don't even know if Nick is right or what it means to be a succubus. All I know is that I want you. And you keep pushing me away. How could I try to talk to you about any of it after that?"

Ethon remembered how she was twitching and fidgeting in the kitchen. He had seen her do it a few times. Her breathing more erratic while training. Why hadn't he realized something was wrong? He turned her to face him and wrapped his arms around her.

The feel of his breath as it ghosted across her temple made her shudder. "What can I do to help?"

She gently shook her head. "Nothing. I don't want pity sex. And I don't want to mess anything up for you."

"Rose." He lifted her chin to look at him. He was completely broken. She trusted him with the truth of something so personal. She trusted him intimately, after everything she had been through. She wanted him over Nick. What had Ethon ever done to earn her trust? To earn her desire?

His body flooded with pride, comfort, warmth. She chose him. Rose was the first woman to offer him so much. Especially after he pushed her away so many times. Please gods, don't make him out to be a fool and all of this is truly just a dream.

His head lowered to gently brush his lips across hers. "Nothing with you is about pity. Maybe I am rather protective of you, and scared of hurting you after your past. But not pity. I just don't know how to let people in. I don't even deserve your affection. I'm a monster."

She shook her head. "I don't see a monster."


	12. Chapter 12

Rosslyn woke to the sounds of her cell phone alarm going off. As she tried to roll over to turn it off, she found that she couldn't move. She wasn't sleeping on a pillow, alone. Rather, her head rested on a warm chest and equally warm arms wrapped around her to keep her held in place.

She looked up as Ethon nuzzled into the top of her head briefly.

"Are you alright?" He mumbled in a deep and sexy voice that hadn't been used in a while.

"What are you doing in my bed?" Rosslyn asked.

Ethon's eyes flew open. Damn it. Where the dreams real? Where they all a figment of imagination?

"You were having nightmares last night." He said quietly.

Rose pulled away to see the subtle evidence on his black shirt. She could see the edges of salt water stains on his chest where she had cried as she slept. "But I don't remember dreaming." Her voice was so low, Ethon could barely hear it even with his heightened senses.

He took a deep breath. He had to know if the dreams were real.

His thumb grazed over her cheek as he lifted her gaze to his. Blue-green to deep black. "Rose. Are you alright? I noticed you trembling a few times before I left last night."

Her eyes dropped.

"Please talk to me."

She shook her head and started to pull away. He held her firm.

"I know that I can be a mean bastard and have massive walls. But they are there because I do care. I care far more than I should."

Her eyes snapped back up to him.

"I…" She started. "Nick…" She shook her head, not sure where to start.

Ethon was getting worried that it was all headed somewhere that he didn't want it to go.

She took a deep breath. "Ever since I woke up, I have been hungry. You have seen me eat. But the food doesn't seem to be all that I am hungry for. Nick thinks it is from the demon blood that Azura gave me. The hunger just keeps growing. I feel like I am going crazy as I get so hungry."

Ethon hugged her closer to him. His hands slid over her back soothingly. "What is it you're hungry for?"

Her face turned bright red. "You." She turned, trying to hide her face from Ethon. She didn't want to see his face as he rejected her again.

He let out the breath that he hadn't realized he was holding. The dreams were real. She wanted him.

"How do you want me?" He asked. A smirk pulled at his lips.

A growl escaped from her as she started to push him away. "Don't make fun of me."

He tried to grab her hands to catch her attention, yet the whole thing erupted into a wrestling match until Rosslyn was pinned under Ethon with her hands firmly held in his grip.

"Rosslyn, I am not teasing you."

Lips caressed hers. He kissed her gently, slowly deepening the kiss as one of his hands let go of her wrist to graze along the skin of her arm until it gently moved to cup her jaw, his thumb traced circles across her cheek.

He pulled back briefly to watch as her eyes glowed in that vibrant turquoise color he had come to admire. Nothing else of her demon side showed. Just her eyes. But they burned with an intensity that fueled his lust more. His body burned as it pressed into her.

"Are you sure you want this?" He paused. "With me?"

Rosslyn couldn't understand why he would doubt himself. She had wanted him more than anyone else, even when she was drugged. He was the one who pushed her away. She nodded. "Don't play games with me."

Ethon's eyes burned down at her, his lips tugged into a smile as she answered.

Her phone alarm went off again, prompting Ethon to climb out of bed to turn her phone off.

She watched him. His blond hair. His black eyes. He moved with the grace of a wild cat as he crawled back into the bed with her. Like a jaguar. It sent shivers through her.

She couldn't take it any more. As he held himself above her, she reached up and ripped his shirt down the middle. "You're going too slow." She said as she reached for his lips.

Ethon chuckled. "And I was worried you wouldn't really want me." He whispered.

Rosslyn pulled back. "You were the one who rejected me. Not the other way around."

Ethon closed his eyes at the memory of that night at Club Charonet.

"It wasn't you Rose." He softly caressed her face. "I'm a violent and broken man that doesn't deserve your kindness."

She pushed him over until he was beneath her. "Then learn to trust me. Let me in. And let me decide who I give kindness to."

"I can't." He growled. He was angry with himself for not knowing how to maneuver through it all. The truth was that he was starting to trust her in his dreams. But there was a safety net there. She didn't remember her dreams to tell anyone anything.

Her hunger pushed her. An inner voice yelled and screamed for her to shut him up and just take him. Or if he wouldn't, the voice told her to leave and find someone who would. She was desperate.

But Rosslyn didn't want to push herself on him or anyone. "Is this because of Samia?" Rosslyn was too on edge to walk on eggshells with him. She shouldn't have been so blunt.

That obviously pushed a button for him and he pushed her off of him.

"You don't know anything about me. You sure as hell don't know anything about Samia." His voice was cold.

"No. I don't. Because you don't tell me jack shit about yourself. You hide behind your defenses and don't let anyone in. But I do know what I saw. The look in your eyes when you looked at her. And I do know that you are attracted to me. But I can't compete with whatever past you have with her. Hell, I don't even know my own past." She sighed and left the room.

Ethon fell back into her bed. He was seriously screwed. Any progress he made with Rosslyn in the dreams had disappeared. She didn't remember those conversations. He had to work through it all again. Damn it.

She didn't know that he couldn't get her out of his head. All he did was dream about her.

For the first time in thousands of years, he actually stopped thinking of Samia all the time. He would always love her. But he had hope that he could move on.

Pushing himself up, he went to bathroom. He could hear her breathing. He was being a complete ass bouncing her between his desire and his defenses. Between memories of dreams that she didn't know and the real world.

Soft knocks on the door echoed before she opened her door.

"Rose, I'm sorry." She rolled her eyes. "I swear, it isn't a problem with you. My life has been filled with pain and betrayal. Secrets keep me safe. And that means that they help to keep you safe as well."

She turned to look at him. The tears that she held back tore at his heart.

He let out a breath. "There's a part of me that wants to trust you. But I don't know how. It will take time, if it ever happens. I can't promise that it ever would. And that's not even getting into the whole Dark-Hunter rules and shit. I can't promise anything more than guarded friendship, protection, and sex. If you don't want any part of that, then we stick to the parts you are okay with."

In the back of her mind, she knew that she was setting herself up to be hurt, but her hunger was too strong to care anymore. She was trembling from trying to hold it in. "Friends with benefits then."

"Are you sure?" He watched her closely. The way her face was tight and she gripped her arms, she looked like she was holding back from falling apart. She had obviously suffered for too long with the hunger. She needed to feed.

"Damn it Ethon. Stop trying to screw it all up and just screw _**me**_ already." His jaw dropped at the command. He forgot about his concerns.

"Yeah, I know. Complete slut alarm going off. I don't know if I was before. But you obviously don't want romance or a relationship. And damn it, I'm hungry. I want you inside of me _**now**_." Her hunger was taking over and she couldn't hold back.

He laughed. "That is definitely new."

She glared at him. "Get naked and stay or leave. I am tired of the games." She was losing control. Fast.

Ethon really couldn't say no to that. His conscience warned him that he was making a mistake. Few women could live with a man, have sex with him, and not expect emotional connections or more. She had already opened up so much to him in the dreams. He wasn't sure that he could keep it there, that he wouldn't want more. But at the moment, he couldn't really think of a good reason to deny them both.

He stared at her as he pulled off the shredded t-shirt he had been wearing. Rose pushed him back into her room until his legs hit her bed. Rather than push him in, she reached to pull down the sweat pants from his hips.

Her eyes started to glow once again as she admired his artistically chiseled body. Scars crisscrossed his tawny skin, but none of it detracted from his masculine perfection.

Ethon had often wondered just what her glowing eyes were about. As he watched her, he noticed that they only glowed when she took on full demon form, or when things were getting intimate. At that moment, he wondered if that was the succubus in her. And it turned him on even more.

His thoughts scattered as she reached to cup him in her hands. She toyed and teased until she lowered herself and took him in her mouth.

His moans were deep and feral. The feel of her skin against his was more than he could have dreamed. His fingers laced through her black and electric blue locks. Her turquoise eyes looked up at him, that glowing mix of her natural blues and greens. She was magical.

Rosslyn watched Ethon's face as she tasted his body. The pleasure, the connection, it was all there.

As much as he said he couldn't offer more, he felt more. She saw it in his face. If that was all he could give, then, that was what she would have to be content with. All she really knew was that she needed him. She needed the connection. The physical intimacy. More than anything, she wanted all of it to be with Ethon Stark.

Ethon pulled her away. "Carefull, my precious Rose. I don't want this to be over too fast."

His hands cupped her face as he lowered himself to meet her and claimed her lips with his. The kiss was deep and passionate as he wrapped his arms around her waist to lift her and carry her into the center the bed with him. Her legs had wrapped naturally around his hips as he moved until she settled onto her back below him. She moaned as they moulded together with Ethon between her thighs.

His lips only left her as he pulled her pajama shirt off of her body. Then he returned to her delectable mouth. He wasn't sure he could stop kissing her. Centuries of being with women that he had to hide his fangs from. It was different when he could be open and honest about what he was. She seemed to relish running her tongue over the elongated canine teeth while he gently nipped at her lips.

Her hands fisted in his shaggy blond hair, then slid sensuously down his back. Her fingers traced every bump and ridge of muscle and scar tissue. She hadn't seen his back, but she could feel the difference in texture.

His hands caressed her soft breasts. Her puckered nipples tugged across the rough skin of his hands sending electric shocks through her. They both wanted more.

Rosslyn rocked her hips against his. "Please." She gasped between kisses.

Ethon pulled back and hooked his thumbs into the waistband of both her pajama pants and her panties so that he could pull them both off at the same time. His eyes gazed at the beautiful image that lay before him. Rosslyn was stunning. He could truly think of no woman more captivating than the beauty before him.

The areoles of her breasts were dark against her skin, almost matching the brown color of her natural hairs as they curled at the juncture of her thighs, hiding the part of her he wanted most. Everything matched the woman that he watched bathe in his dreams. She was real. The dreams were real. That connection was real.

He kissed and nipped at the luscious olive skin of her legs as he worked his way up her calves, along the inside of her thighs, over her hip bones, along her stomach and up to her right breast.

Rose arched her back as he took her pebbled nub into his mouth. His tongue rolled and laved at the sensitive flesh before he released it with a pop that caused her body to spasm in pleasure. He chuckled before he repeated the ministrations on the other peak.

Rosslyn panted and mewled in pleasure. Her fingers fisted in his hair to pull him closer to her, until she pulled him back to look in her glowing eyes. "Please. I need you inside of me."

He growled as he returned to her lips. He positioned himself and slowly slid his length into her feminine depths. They both broke the kiss in deep, contented moans, as he reached their complete union.

Slowly, they began to rock their hips together. Rose matched him, pace for pace.

Hands slid over flesh, each trying to memorize as much of the other's body as they could reach. Ethon's lips found their way to her jaw and down her neck. He grazed the skin with his fangs and she shuddered. Something about it was primal, it made him want to claim her. To let that animal nature of being a Dark-Hunter loose. To taste her blood.

That shocked Ethon. He had never wanted that before. He needed distance from her neck.

So, he lifted himself up to stare in her eyes, his hands found her wrists and pinned them above her head.

His speed picked up as he pistoned himself harder and faster. Her breathing was erratic and her sounds brought him to new heights. But her glowing eyes never left his.

Back arching, Rose screamed out as her climax hit. Her body tightened around his, milking the last moments of resistance from him as he crashed into his ecstasy with her.

As his body released, he felt the drain of his energy. Yet, something was different. He felt more of his energy seep away than normal. Rose's legs held him close as she remained arched up, her eyes glowing brighter and brighter until she finally collapsed.

What in the fucking hell just happened?

Ethon felt completely drained. Not just pass out from post-orgasmic bliss type of drained. But like she had taken something from him. He had felt her touch him, inside. In his mind.

Rosslyn's head rolled to the side and smiled sleepily. "You can be honest with me Ethon, I'm not Iairos. You could have told me that you pulled away because of the shrimp."

This wasn't a dream. This was the real world.

Ethon's eyes went wide. "How in the hell? What did you just do?"

Her brows creased. "I don't know. I just saw it when we climaxed. I didn't try to do anything."

He jumped up. His legs barely worked. But he needed to go. How could she know? How could she do that? She betrayed him, searched his memories, something. No one was supposed to know about him. Not her. Not anyone. Not in the real world.

"Ethon?"

The sounds of her voice echoed behind him, but he ran as fast as his weakened legs could take him. He made it to his room and slammed the door before he collapsed to the floor.

First the dreams. Then the sex. What was she doing? How did she get in?

She made him weak. She made him vulnerable. She knew about his allergy. Did she know about the rest? Would she be disgusted by him like Samia had been? Would she tell anyone else? Noir?

Fuck!

He pulled his pants on and tried to teleport to Sanctuary, but he couldn't do it.

No. No, no, no, no… He made his way to a mirror and saw a reflection. A real reflection. Dark-Hunters were supposed to be hidden from reflections and had to use their powers to cast a reflection if they needed to. Yet, more shocking wasn't just the reflection. It was his eyes. His hazel eyes. His human eyes.

Sonofabitch!

Rose drained his Dark-Hunter powers. He was basically human.

"Ethon?" Rose's voice was so shaky and full of concern. "What's wrong?"

He couldn't believe he had let it happen. He knew not to let a woman in. He had to get out of there. He pulled on a shirt and grabbed his phone. Ethon threw open his door and ran out of the townhouse.

Rosslyn finally collapsed in tears. She couldn't stay there any more. She couldn't be his yo-yo.

Digging for her phone, she called the only person she could think to be around at the moment. "Nick?"


	13. Chapter 13

Ethon wandered the streets. His mind replayed memories of his past. Usually he relied on his gifts. It was terrifying to no longer have them. He huffed to himself, really what could the spirits of fallen soldiers tell him of women? Damn it. How did a woman slip past his defenses?

It couldn't happen again.

"Oh, the mighty prince and his weaknesses." Iairos sneered as Ethon woke in chains.

"All it took was a girl to bait you with and little shellfish juice."

"Playing dirty, Iairos. I'm not surprised." Ethon retorted.

His former friend raised a regal brow. "I wasn't the one running after other men's wives."

That hurt. Ethon did love his brother's wife. But he never acted on it. He stood by and supported them both. He loved their daughter. He looked forward to their second child. He loved Ioel and Samia enough that he never would have dreamed of interfering in their happiness.

"Yeah, well, at least I will die knowing that I loved an honorable woman that I never touched. You will die and face Hades judgement for killing an innocent man. I never touched your wife. I never wanted her. Not even in my grief. If she cheated, then that is between the two of you and whatever other asshole she took to her bed."

Iairos lost his calm facade and attacked Ethon. His fists were bloody and bruised by the time he was done. Though he fared better than Ethon's face.

Ethon smirked. "I know your weaknesses too Iairos. I can break you from here. But you can never break me."

It was a taunt that Ethon learned to regret, though he never gave Iairos the satisfaction of knowing it.

Two months of torture. Iairos and his Spartan allies never sent word of his capture. They never admitted to holding the Athenian prince. There was no negotiations or demands for ransom.

It was personal. Pure and simple

The Spartans really knew how to hold a grudge for his use of their own tactics against them. They hated that they had trained the prince that crumbled their army and sent their King packing in fear.

Tied down, beaten, starved, and raped repeatedly for their amusement. Men pissed on him. Rubbed shit into his wounds and dumped water on him before they used him again.

By the time Iairos finally dealt him a fatal blow, the proud prince was near insane. All it took was a knife to his back, and Ethon finally found freedom.

The look on Iairos's face was priceless as Ethon went after him in pure, unmitigated rage. Artemis had given him twenty four hours to claim his revenge in exchange for his service as a Dark-Hunter.

Ethon took out his rage on every person in the camp. Blinded from who or what they were.

"I have a special treat for you." The goddess purred in Ethon's ear.

He was covered in Iairos's blood. He savored the heady mix of metallic tang and sweet vengeance. His lips slid into a grin. "My goddess?"

She smiled. "It seems that your friend called out for me as well." Ethon turned to see Iairos crumpled on the ground. His eyes wide as he watched Ethon walk toward him with Artemis in her white peplos and dark red hair.

"No!" Iairos screamed. "He was the one who betrayed me!"

Ethon shook his head. "The goddess knows the truth. I never bedded your wife. It was you who betrayed me."

Artemis tilted her head. "Seeing as you would ask revenge against one of my Dark-Hunters over a betrayal that never occurred, I can't take your soul Iairos. Too bad, so happy." Ethon looked over at her but didn't say anything. Then Iairos was gone.

She turned to Ethon. "Now that this nasty business is behind us, I expect you to follow the rules. Acheron will find you in a few days and train you. Try not to get yourself killed before then."

Artemis disappeared.

Yet, only after she left did Ethon realize what all he had done. He wandered around the camp in shame and despair as he realized that he had lashed out at everyone. Not just the men that had taken their turns at assaulting him, but the slaves and the women as well.

In his blind rage, he had become the monster and others paid for it.

He fell to his knees as guilt slammed into him with such force that his stomach protested violently.

The shame of having been humiliated and taken. The shame of turning around and punishing the innocent for things they had no hand in. He wanted to die for his crimes.

Artemis had been wrong. Acheron didn't show up a few days later. He was there within hours to pull him to safety before the sunlight killed him his first day as a Dark-Hunter.

It was Acheron who helped him learn to bury his guilt and shame. It was Acheron who helped him learn to survive. And because of that, Ethon would always value the man as a friend. Even if he seriously pissed him off on occasion.

But it was that horror that drove Samia to flee from him. She hated him for what he had done. And it was that truth that he feared anyone else ever learning.

Especially his sweet Rose.

* * *

Ethon walked into Sanctuary. He didn't know how long he had wandered around, but he waited until he regained his Dark-Hunter powers. He didn't want anyone to know about what happened.

He sat at the bar for a few minutes before Samia waddled her way over to him.

"Why do you look so down?"

He barely glanced at her. "I don't want to talk about it."

She sat down. "I see. So, problems with Rosslyn."

Ethon growled. "I really don't want to talk about that with you."

"Damn, the man, who quite literally laughs and jokes while surrounded by monsters and overwhelming odds, is quiet? She really got to you, didn't she?"

Ethon stood to walk away. Before he fully turned to take a step, a fist flew into his jaw.

"Nick!" Samia screamed.

"What in the hell did you do Ethon? Where is she?"

Ethon growled. "What are you talking about?"

"Rosslyn. Where in the hell is she?"

"At the townhouse."

"Bullshit."

Ethon was losing control. Losing control of his emotions, his fears, his anger. He didn't want to fight Nick because he didn't want to trigger the Cajun's more sinister side that they were all trying to keep in check. But mostly, he wouldn't fight back because Ethon knew he deserved to have his ass beaten for his stupidity. "So help me Nick. I am not in the mood for games. Get the fuck out of my way."

"Ethon." Samia grabbed his arm. "What's going on?"

What's going on? Oh, let's see. Ethon fucked up. Either, Rosslyn played him and will betray him. Or she's truly innocent and he walked out on her again because of his own insanity. Either way, he was fucking screwed. And worse, was that he was so angry at Rosslyn for it. If she hadn't have been so perfect, so beautiful, so tempting, so… gods, she was the woman of his dreams. In his dreams. Every night.

Fang stepped around the bar with a few of the Peltier brothers. "Take it outside. Both of you."

Ethon looked at Fang and noticed Chi sitting at the bar where he had been moments before. Both of them knew a lot about demons. It was time to find out just what the fuck Rosslyn was with those glowing eyes and mind invasions.

"What kind of demons have glowing eyes?" Ethon ground his teeth. His rage was barely contained.

Chi shrugged. "Several." Then she looked him over very carefully. "Oh damn." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

That focused his attention. "Tell me." He demanded. He needed confirmation. He needed to know what Rose really was and what dangers that possessed. Not just finding out the hard way.

"You slept with her." Ethon closed his eyes. Chi shook her head. "Buddy, you, of all people, let a succubus into your bed. Damn."

Nick growled. "That doesn't answer anything about where she is."

"She is at the townhouse. I told you. I know you can be stupid sometimes, but are you deaf too?" Ethon yelled. "Why do you even care?"

Nick grabbed Ethon by his shirt and threw him on top of the bar. He was dangerously close to losing any scrap of control that anyone helped him maintain up to that point. At least it was late enough in the night that there was no human clientele left in the bar. Though, Nick couldn't guarantee that the bar would still be standing if he fully blew his top.

"Let me clear things up the fast way. Whatever it is that happened between you two tonight, she called me in tears and asked me to pick her up. But when I got to the townhouse, the door was open, the place is trashed and she wasn't there. She is not in the mortal world at all. So get your head out of your gods damn ass and pay attention."

Then, Nick threw him to the ground. Ethon couldn't breath. His eyes were wide. She was gone?

Samia took out her phone to call Acheron. "Ash, Rosslyn's gone."

She no sooner said the words than Ash stood in the room. He glared down at Ethon. "You had better pull yourself together. Azmodea is not a place where you have any room to second guess yourself."

How in the hell? Nevermind. Everyone knew Ash knew shit.

Ethon's eyes grew. Damn it. Ash knew shit…

"You knew!" Ethon accused the Atlantean. "You knew she had succubus blood and didn't tell her. Didn't tell me."

Ash hauled him off the ground and stared him in the eyes. "Right now, Rosslyn is being held by people who think of rape and dismemberment as foreplay. Is your bruised ego worth leaving her there?"

His eyes dropped. No. Nothing about him was worth leaving her there. He had seriously fucked up leaving her alone. He knew that he was her protection and he left her unguarded. He failed his job. He failed her.

Then Acheron turned his attention to Nick.

"Yeah, yeah. Go upstairs for date night. I get it. Won't argue on this one." He grumbled.

Ash raised a brow. "Not that I am complaining, but… huh? No argument from Nick Gautier?"

Nick glared at Ethon. "Unlike some people, I don't want to hurt Rosslyn. She is a good person and a good friend. The safest thing for her right now is me out of the way before I do something we all regret."

Acheron reached over and clasped his shoulder. "Thank you."

"Yeah, I am not staying for the mushy shit." He snarled. Then, Nick left.

Ash turned around as he made a few phone calls. Samia and Chi helped to get Ethon to a seat. "Ethon, what happened?" Samia asked.

Chi answered when he didn't. "Succubi have this mind connection when they feed. Ethon, the man who guards his secrets almost as closely as Nick and Acheron, just had sex with a succubus. He obviously didn't take the mind connection well."

As much as Samia had avoided Ethon for most of their lives, he had always been there for her. He entered the gates of mythical worlds to fight monsters, just to keep her safe. They had slowly started to build a friendship in recent years.

But she knew why he was so scared to trust anyone. Her own guilt at being someone to add to that fear tore through her. In one night of clouded judgements, she had welcomed him into her home and into her bed. Ethon looked so much like her late husband, that she sought the comfort.

However, with her powers, she saw everything. She had seen his past. His darkness. His love for her.

Ethon hadn't reacted well to her learning so much about him either. Even worse when she ran from him.

She didn't know how to cope with the knowledge of it all. Knowing that his love for her was the piece that lead him to so much pain. That she was the reason for all of it. If he had never loved her, his friend never would have thought to question his loyalty. If he hadn't of grieved for her, he wouldn't have been in that home to even cause a shadow of doubt. It all went back to her.

How could she live with that guilt? Remembering how he was brutalized.

Yet, she knew that she hurt him. She knew that he had twisted it in his head that he never deserved to be loved. She just didn't know how to fix it. She didn't feel the same way and it brought back her pain just to look at him.

It broke her heart to see him so vulnerable.

"Ethon, come on, talk to me." She prodded. "She obviously means a lot to you."

His eyes snapped to hers. The pain behind them hurt her even more.

"Why did I leave her?" His voice was broken. He quickly shook his head and rubbed his hands over his face. "She ran because she's sickened by what she saw. She deserves better than me. That's all. She just wants to leave. I can force myself to live with her leaving me. Everyone does. Just as long as she's safe. She has to be safe."

Samia pulled him over to the side.

"Damn it Ethon. Rosslyn is not Iairos. She is not me. She shared herself with you. And it sounds like you were the one who ran out. Not her. She was going to go to Nick's because you rejected her." Ethon looked at Sam as he crumbled more. "She isn't safe. Rosslyn needs you now more than ever. So, get yourself together."

"You don't understand." He whined.

She looked at him with patience. "Yes, I do. You are falling in love. And that terrifies you. Especially you. But right now, she needs you."

"Sam, I…"

The Amazon shook her head. "E, don't. Don't try to lie to me and say you are not falling or some other stupidity. I can sense your emotions loud and clear. Save the woman that has managed to do the impossible. Find a way to let down your walls. Be happy. And know that whatever happens, I will be here for you as a sister."

She hugged him, and for the first time, Ethon embraced that familial love. He wasn't hurt that it wasn't more.

How did a mystery girl that he fought so hard to push away, manage to change him so much already?

Ethon gathered himself back together and joined the group just as Seth entered the club with another demon. Xedrix followed with several charonets.

Acheron talked to them individually before turning to Fang. "Please wait a little while before you call Thorn. If things get too messy, we may head into his territory. Don't want it to be a surprise. But given the interest he has shown in Rosslyn, I don't want him getting a head start either."

Fang chuckled. As a Hellchaser who sold his soul to the demon in order to save his mate, Fang completely understood Acheron's logic. He wouldn't want to hand over the girl to his boss either. The man's motivations were mysteries unto themselves. Though the work of capturing escaped demons and returning them to their hell realm was a good cause, Fang wasn't sure if there weren't other games being played behind the scenes. Thorn could be one scary SOB. "Sure thing."


	14. Chapter 14

Acheron knew that going into Azmodea was going to be tricky, so he kept it to a rather small group. Seth and Asmodeus had lived there for centuries, enslaved to the two primal gods. So, they were an obvious call.

Xedrix and the charonets were an honest surprise. He made the call because charonets love to eat demon flesh, their favorite being gallu demons, their natural enemies. Since the gallu had taken refuge in Azmodea several years ago, there were still a few around. The surprising part was that Xedrix didn't even wait for the promise of the demon feast. He agreed to to help Rosslyn as his sister.

Of course, Simi was there with her charonet sister, Xirena. Both of whom had accepted Rosslyn as a sister immediately, though Xirena occasionally tried to pretend to not really care. No one bought that, not even Rosslyn. Ash paused to mentally remind himself to introduce Rosslyn to the non-demon siblings at some point.

He hadn't done that yet, because he wanted more time keeping Rosslyn at a distance. He knew that once he let her into his family fully, he would lose sight of her future. And since Acheron hadn't been able to see Nick's future for years, he really needed to see just where Rosslyn's future led through the current maze. Make sure that Nick made it through in one piece. As much as Nick hated him, as much as Acheron was still angry about their past and felt guilty for the fall out, Ash had made a promise to never let anything bad happen to Nick. And for Ash to break a promise, it would kill him. As in dead, not hurt. Dead. Kind of sucks to be the Final Fate sometimes. So, no matter what, Nick needed to survive.

The last of the group were Ethon and Chi. Chi was a Dark-Huntress. Another Dog of War. The Dogs could be brutal, arrogant, and have serious issues with each other. But when push came to shove, the Dogs stood together… for the most part. The only Dark-Hunters truly powerful enough to stay next to one another without damaging their powers.

Samia felt bad that she couldn't go. There was too much risk to the twins she carried and her Dark-Hunter powers were drained while she was pregnant. However, Chi specialized in demonology. She was a more logical choice to begin with. And Chi was pissed that she didn't get to help on the quest to save Samia. So, she gladly volunteered to help Ethon on Samia's behalf.

Ash had managed to find a way into Azmodea for everyone. But he was prepared for a trap. Noir was at war with Olympus and had tightened security after several gods and a couple dragons had broken through a few times. So, Acheron didn't doubt that any weaknesses were intentional and well guarded.

He wasn't disappointed.

The demon horde that waited for them was almost flattering. They obviously expected a serious fight. And they got one.

Not one demon remained, other than the ones that arrived with Acheron. He sighed. So much for a good show down.

Chi leaned over to Ethon. "I won't ask about your past. You know me better than that. But whatever it is that you are hiding, you need to figure out if you can allow yourself to trust Rosslyn with that information. You're obviously falling for her. But you can't have sex with her again if you can't open up to her."

"Don't you think that I figured that out?" Ethon grumbled. "She deserves someone better."

She sighed as she watched everything carefully, waiting for the next attack.

"Don't be an idiot Stark. The first girl to really shake you off of the Samia tree in thousands of years. And you would pass that up?"

Ethon growled. "Why don't we just spin the wheel and see what guy she is going to want tonight…" His sarcasm was full of pain. "Rose is a succubus. She needs to feed. I might be suicidal, but not stupid enough to think she would want to stay with a bloodthirsty asshole like me. Succubi aren't known for their monogamy."

Asmodeus piped up. "Well… actually…" He tilted his head.

"Asmodeus, stay out of other people's conversations." Seth scolded.

Chi, however, wouldn't let it go. Mostly because she knew Ethon would wonder and it could be important information for the former prince, but he was too stubborn to ask. "Actually what? Please do share."

Asmodeus looked at Seth who shrugged approval to continue. "The blood that Azura uses is from the first succubus. Queen Lamia. She was a human queen in ancient Libya and very beautiful. Well, beautiful for a human, I suppose. Not really my thing, but as long as there are lady parts that fit with my parts, I could be convinced…"

"Asmodeus." Seth warned.

"Right. Succubus. Monogamy. Yes, you are right as always. Any who… Zeus was infatuated with the girl, got her pregnant a few times. Imagine, Zeus, liking one human woman enough to keep going back? Shocking!"

"Is there a point?" Chi questioned curtly.

"Oh. Uh. Yes." Asmodeus bobbed his head. "When Hera found out about the affair, she killed Lamia's children and turned her into a monster, a succubus. Since the queen had been having sex with Zeus, Hera wanted to make sure that the queen suffered from sexual hunger for eternity while making sure that Zeus would never want her again." He paused and scratched his chin. "The curse makes the succubus barren. No more children for the Father of the Gods. At least not with her. But the mind connection was the ace in the crapper. Zeus would never allow another to see into his noggin. Hell, few men would. I know I wouldn't."

Asmodeus stopped and looked at Ethon. Ethon growled at him.

The demon nervously continued. "Heh. Well… I mean… to each their own. Right?"

"Is that all?" Chi was pressing her fingers between her eyes from having to listen to the demon for so long.

"Well… No. The longer a succubus goes without sex, the more crazy they get. And since Zeus rejected her, the queen tried to find others. Lots of humans died. They're like eating eyeballs, tasty, but not very filling when getting only one at a time…"

"Eww." Chi curled her lip.

Asmodeus shrugged. "None of the immortals would touch her, protecting their secrets and balls from Hera's wrath. It all kind of made Lamia bat shit crazy. Then she did something incredibly stupid. I dabble in stupid, but she is fucking looney toons. She chose to bond herself to Noir. A bond that could never be broken. For all of eternity." The demon shuddered. "To Noir." He shuddered again.

He shook his head quickly. "So. Since then, Lamia only has sex with Noir. He likes crazy. And violent." He shook his head. "Again, to each their own."

"Asmodeus." Seth glared at him. "Focus."

"Just saying, that a succubus needs to be fed. Nothing about that means it has to be with lots of people. Queen Lamia has been monogamous for centuries. Trust me. Noir would skin her alive if she betrayed him. Literally."

"I thought the Oneroi were the basis of the succubus and incubus myths." Xedrix joined in.

"They are." Chi said. "It's where Hera gained her inspiration from. Lamia is the only true succubus because of the curse. And I suppose any one who was given her blood."

"They all died." Asmodeus looked at Ethon quickly before adding. "Your girl is the first to survive past the mission."

Xedrix bobbed his head. "Makes sense. Still bothers me that now I have a sister that is some freaky human charonet succubus mutant."

"Xeddy! Stop calling our sissy a mutant." Simi scolded. He frowned at her.

Ethon listened, but refused to engage in the conversation. His mind raced. He was desperate to find Rose, make sure that she was safe. Still, the information played in the back of his mind.

The rational part of him understood that Rosslyn didn't know what she was. Nick had told her his suspicions, but little information other than telling her she needed sex. She didn't know what was happening. She hadn't tried to betray him.

Yet, he still didn't know if he could open himself up with her. He was so broken. Their lives were so complicated.

He still didn't want to give up being a Dark-Hunter. Not even for her. He knew he couldn't handle that weak life. Not after being so powerful for so long. He couldn't sit back and let diabetes and high blood pressure break him down.

And for what? She wasn't mortal any more than he was. If he did get his soul back, he would die and she wouldn't. That would be asinine.

Could they work something out and him still be a Dark-Hunter? It broke all of the rules. But Acheron seemed to be setting them up together. So, perhaps…

Ethon was sterile. That was part of being resurrected to be a Dark-Hunter. He could never give her children. Yet, if Asmodeus was correct, then Lamia couldn't have children. Did that mean that Rose couldn't have children either? That kind of worked, neither of them would be taking away that option from the other…

Could he imagine a life with her? Yes. A life time of her laughter, her smiles. She didn't know much about herself, but he could still see her wit, her confidence. She was strong and gentle. She handled everything with more grace and patience than he ever thought possible. Her only moments of breakdown had been because of him. If he stopped fighting it…

And he wanted to join her as she discovered who she truly was. Explore music and food to see what she liked and didn't.

But that terrified him. The fact that he wanted to share in her life, knowing that sharing in her life would mean she would share in his.

What if she betrayed him. What if…

He growled as he tried to push those thoughts away.

* * *

Rosslyn panted through the pain.

Azura was just toying with her. A cut here. A firm punch there. Every once in awhile a bite somewhere. She would let Rosslyn heal and then do it more. Enough to cause pain, break a few bones, but it was just a warm up.

"You really do have tasty blood." Azura purred. "It's a pity for you, but a treat for me."

"Go ahead. Bite me bitch." Rosslyn growled.

"The girl does have some strength. Foolish. Yet, admirable." Noir looked down at her. "I am sure you'll have lots of fun with her through the years."

The god that stood above Rosslyn would have been handsome if he wasn't so damned sinister looking. Tall, muscular, dark hair and black eyes. He reeked of evil intent. It reminded her of Nick and his oily tainted darkness. Only, the man in front of her oozed with it.

Azura on the other hand, had blue skin with white lips, eyes, and hair. A very striking combination, almost painful to look at as the contrasts pulled the eyes almost everywhere.

"It will be fun to break her." Azura agreed.

Azura left the room for a bit. Noir looked down Rosslyn in her demon form. His eyes roamed over her body as she was chained down. His hand lifted to graze along her side. Rosslyn jerked away. But she could sense his desire.

His black eyes looked up at her glowing pair. "We will definitely have fun later." His hand moved to cup her body where her thighs met. He ground his hand into her sensitive flesh. "First though, I am going to make you beg for me."

Rosslyn fought against the growing hunger. She didn't want him. She didn't want him to touch her. She closed her eyes and tried to pull away, buck him off of her, anything to get away from the man. Yet nothing worked.

"You're a succubus Rosslyn. Your body craves the attention. It needs it. It needs intercourse to survive. Your mind has no say in the matter. Eventually, your hunger will be too great to deny me anything." He lowered his head to bite her nipple through her shirt as he ground his hand harder against her core.

"No!" She screamed from the pain and frustration.

* * *

Ethon's head snapped at the sound of Rosslyn's voice. He took off as fast as he could. He had to save her.

"Damn it Stark, will you ever learn to wait for backup?" Chi growled.


	15. Chapter 15

Slowly, Ethon approached the room where Rosslyn's screams echoed from. But he was stopped by a woman with blue skin. He recognized her from the attack on Jenna. Azura.

"Oh, look. It's that one girl Smurf." He paused. "I always wondered where all the Smurfs came from if there was only one girl. I mean, she must have been one hell of a wild cat to take on all of them. You know what I mean?"

Her lip curled. "That is the best you could come up with?"

He shrugged. "Meh. I just roll with where my mind takes me. It's more fun letting my insanity loose once in awhile. But I must say, I really like what you have done with the place. You should sell tickets. You'd make a killing at Hal… oh, my bad. Not the right kind of killing for you."

She tsked at him until they broke out into a fight.

"Dark-Hunters. Always so arrogant." She sneered.

Their movements were fast and fluid. She wasn't a novice in the world of hand to hand combat. And she had the advantage as a goddess.

Ethon screamed and yelled for Rosslyn as loud as his lungs would let him. He needed to get past Azura.

"Aww. Isn't that sweet. You love her. We can use you to help break her." Azura licked his face as she had him pinned down onto the floor. Using her magic, she flashed them both into the room with Ethon held against the wall.

Horror, jealousy, rage, all competed at once as Ethon saw a man's hand between Rosslyn's thighs, inside her pants. Her shirt ripped open and his mouth bit into her breast as he drank her blood.

Her eyes were squeezed tightly closed as tears rolled down her delicate cheeks. Cuts and bruises showed all over her exposed flesh. She grunted as she tried to pull away from the unwanted attention.

"I don't want you!" She screamed as she tried to twist away from him.

"But I wonder if you want your knight in shining armor?" Azura dragged her hand across Noir's muscular shoulders. The man finally pulled back from Rosslyn's torn flesh enough to stand and look at Ethon.

"What toy did you bring this time?" Noir asked, blood smeared across his face.

Her white eyes dragged over Ethon hungrily. "If I am not mistaken, he loves her. I wonder what the girl would do to save him?"

Rose's glowing eyes opened to stare at Ethon. Her tears fell harder. "Ethon?" her voice was barely above a whisper.

Noir's lips slid into a very evil smirk. "Oh, yes, this could be much more fun. I wonder what he would do if I brought a few of the demons in here to have their way with her? To watch as her need to feed over rides her will. Watch her accept their bodies into hers." He slid his hand out of her pants and licked at his fingers as he stared at Ethon, savoring the taste tauntingly.

Rosslyn kicked and fought to get free. "Ethon, go! Please!"

But he bit his lip. He couldn't react. Reacting too quickly, rushing into an ambush, that is what got him captured, tortured and killed before.

"He isn't going anywhere." Azura lowered her head to lick at one of the open wounds that still bled. "But we could be gentle if you talk."

Rosslyn clenched her jaw shut and shook her head.

Azura pulled out a knife and cut into Rosslyn's chest. "It's simple child. Tell us who the Malachai is. What weaknesses can we use to get to him?"

Rosslyn turned her head.

Ethon didn't know what to do. He had to wait. Yet, he didn't want to watch as she betrayed him.

"Let's start with lover boy here." Azura walked over. "Who is he?"

"Go to hell." Rosslyn was defiant.

Azura stopped. "I see. She doesn't love you as much as you love her." She said to Ethon.

Rosslyn's eyes widened as she stared in Ethon's eyes and shook her head.

"It's alright my precious Rose." He said to her. "I never expected you to love a broken man like me."

The blade cut deep into Ethon's stomach and sliced painfully.

"No!" Rosslyn was frantic.

Ethon would heal from the wound. They all knew that. Being immortal came with its perks. But when being tortured, it really sucked.

"Ethon." Rose begged. "Please don't. Don't hurt him."

"Then tell us about him and we will let him live."

Rosslyn knew that letting him live wasn't the same thing as letting him be safe or uninjured. She also knew that they would lie. So, they had nothing to truly offer her that she could trust. But she didn't want to see him hurt. She didn't know what to do.

Every fiber of her being wanted to refuse any scrap of information. Once she said the smallest things, then they could keep working that opening.

Yet, she felt like she was betraying Ethon by not even trying to save him.

Another cut as Ethon grunted. Rosslyn fought not to scream.

"Should we tell him about you?" Azura paused with her finger tapping on her lip. "That is right, I almost forgot, you don't remember anything about yourself from before the curse. One of the fun side effects of Hera's curse when she created your kind. You forget everything about yourself, except your children." The goddess shrugged. "That one really hurt Lamia. But you didn't have any kids… yet."

Rosslyn stared at the bitch. She wouldn't ask. She wouldn't take the bait. Though she couldn't stop her mind from wondering just what in the hell was that supposed to mean?

Azura focused on Ethon once again. "Poor Dark-Hunter. Not supposed to fall in love. Well, certainly not with a another man's wife while she is pregnant."

Ethon's eyes snapped to Rosslyn's. "Otto said that I wasn't married." She whispered.

"Well, if the all mighty Otto told you… well, he must be right. I get to eat the other guy then."

Rosslyn's mind raced. It had to be a lie. Please gods, let it be a lie. She didn't think she could live with herself if she had betrayed a husband she didn't remember. Or worse, got him killed. And a baby? Oh gods…

Ethon's heart sank at the idea of it being anything close to truth. He closed his eyes. Focusing on the woman in his dreams. She had been real. She had been real. She had been real and said that she hadn't really had any significant relationships.

They remained quiet. Not one word.

Noir watched the two. Azura was having her fun tormenting them. He really loved to watch her play. And they both knew how to play the game. Neither would crack easily. At least not yet.

"Well, this is getting boring." He drolled. He wasn't really bored, just patient. Sometimes the most painful wounds weren't the kind that drew blood. "We have all the time in the world to break you two. So, I think we should just leave you alone with your new fuck buddies. I'll send in the ones that get more than a little rough with their playthings. The guy gets to watch her give her body to other men and beaten viciously for it. She will feel the guilt and anger of knowing he can't save her. The husband dies… we will see about the baby." He paused. "I'm almost jealous to miss the show."

Ethon wanted to rip the asshole apart.

"Oh well. It will be good for you to have the time to wallow. Then, in a week or two, we'll see just how much your love for each other really holds up." Noir looked at Azura. "Besides, I don't think he made it here on his own. We have someone else to find."

The two of them left.

Silence hung in the air for a few minutes.

"Ethon, I'm sorry." Rosslyn whispered and turned her face away from him.

He didn't answer her. "Simi, Xirena, I summon you to human form."

As he spoke, smoke wafted out from under his shirt to materialize as the two charonet sisters. Simi ran over to Rosslyn where she broke her restraints.

"Sissy. Are you's okay?" Simi pulled her into her arms as Rosslyn hugged her tightly and softly sobbed. "Save Ethon."

Xirena freed Ethon who fell to the ground in a heap before he could get up to gather his Rose.

"Rose. Please, look at me. Rosslyn, you have nothing to be ashamed of. You did nothing wrong. I was the one who ran because I was scared. I failed you." He kissed her forehead as he talked.

She looked around. "How are you all here?"

Simi smiled. "Ethon was like the Trojan horse. Offered himself as bait to get caught so that Xirena and the Simi could get in and save you's."

"Now we have to go before we all gets caught." Xirena said.

The two demons flashed Ethon and Rosslyn to the clinic at Sanctuary where everyone was waiting.

* * *

Rosslyn had several broken bones, cuts and bite marks along with bruises. Her new demon blood would allow her to heal quickly, but Carson still cleaned and dressed what he could and made sure bones were set so they would heal correctly. She stayed on the gurney in the clinic to restrict her movements as she healed.

Ethon laid in the bed of the recovery room where he was supposed to sleep as the dream gods helped him to heal faster after his cuts were stitched together. He was almost willing to let go, when Nick walked into the clinic. Ethon watched him through the open doorway between the two rooms. Fighting off the sleep as long as he could.

"You alright?" Nick asked Rosslyn.

Rosslyn shook her head negatively. Nick wrapped an arm around her soothingly.

"They said I was married. Or, I am married. She made it sound like I might have been pregnant. Carson said I'm not. But…" Her voice was broken and soft.

Nick sighed. "It was a lie Rosslyn. You were not married and you are not pregnant. I am very certain of those things."

Her lip trembled as she took a deep breath. "Thank you Nick."

"For what?"

"For being my friend."

He chuckled. "I'll try to always be here for you Rosslyn." His fingers brushed a few strands of hair out of her face.

Ethon's chest grew tight in jealousy. Nick didn't go to Azmodea to rescue her. He did. Nick just ran off to hide somewhere. Why was she seeking his comfort?

Idiot, because Nick was in there. He wasn't. Nick was good at being there when she needed someone, while Ethon seemed to be good at running away and breaking her heart.

If he ever wanted a chance to fix his mistakes, he had to man up.

" _Yes. You do_." Nick's voice played in Ethon's head. " _And don't scowl at me._ "

Show off. At a time when Ethon was stressing over Rosslyn learning things about him, Nick had to prove that he knew it all already. Deep down, Ethon knew Nick had that kind of power and knowledge, to read minds and shit. But he just had to prove it while Ethon was freaking out.

" _Damn it E. Calm your shit down. Rosslyn doesn't have the kind of history you and Sam did. She would accept you if you stopped being a dick. Now shut up, you are giving me a headache._ " Nick growled.

Nick pulled up a stool and sat next to Rosslyn's bed. "I'm sorry I couldn't be there to help. But I appreciate that you didn't tell them anything about me. Holding up to what they did couldn't have been easy."

Rosslyn rolled her head towards him. "I don't really know what it means to be the Malachai. Well, other than I know you are a demon and a Dark-Hunter." She paused. "But I got to know Noir and Azura well enough to know that if they want you, then we all need to fight like hell to prevent that from happening. I was just a pawn, a toy to wind up and let loose, gather information. You, they want far more and for something much more sinister." She got quiet for a bit. "They expected us to have sex and me to be too crazy to fight them on giving them whatever information I could find during that funky connection thing."

"And it is that moment of connection during intercourse that will keep us as nothing more than friends." Nick said. "No matter how much I might wish otherwise." He winked at her.

Ethon growled quietly. He really didn't like where that statement lead.

She caressed his cheek. "Don't go there Cajun." He offered a cheeky grin. "I have a Dark-Hunter to get to know, if he will let me. And as you pointed out, anything more than friendship between us would be too dangerous. I don't want to know the secrets you keep."

"And I don't want you exposed to my darker side." Nick said to Rosslyn.

She rolled her eyes. "I am not scared of you Nick. Maybe that slimy, toxic evil crap that seems to swim around in your powers. But not you. Not the man that is here." She placed her hand on his chest above his heart.

Nick leaned his forehead against Rosslyn's. "The first time we became friends, it was because we were both Squires. I really liked you, but more than anything, I could be myself with you. You knew my risks, understood my bad days, and laughed over stupid shit that I couldn't tell anyone else. This time, we find ourselves in the same situation. You know who I am. You know what I am, sort of. And we are both demons, unique and outside of the normal world of demons, still trying to figure ourselves out. Yet, deeply connected to the world of the Dark-Hunters. You touch a part of me that still wants to be the good guy my mama raised me to be. But I am not really that man any more."

"Nick Gautier. For as long as you want to talk to me as a friend, I will be there for you. I believe you still are a good guy. And I will continue to do so until you prove to me otherwise."

Ethon gave a small smile. Rose deserved to have a friend and so did Nick. He just hoped that Nick didn't hurt her.

Of course, so far, Nick had been better for her than Ethon had been.

That hurt.

Gods, he was an idiot.

" _Yes. You are an idiot. You're going to have to work to fix things_." Nick's voice warned him through his mind. " _For now, you need to heal_."

Ethon lost his fight to sleep. He needed the sleep to heal. Damn it. Nick forced him to sleep. What kinds of powers did him havvv…


	16. Chapter 16

Ethon woke to a warm hand on his cheek. He rolled to look up at Rose.

"Hey." He said as he stared up at her breathtaking blue-green eyes. His voice deep and rough from his sleep.

"Hey." She whispered.

Rose knew she shouldn't keep trying for anything with Ethon. Despite what he had done or said in Azmodea. He kept taking those steps and then shoving her away. Yet, for all of the confusion and hurt from his rejections, she was still so drawn to him. She felt safe when she was close to him. And she needed that comfort.

His black eyes pierced her soul and held her captive. She remembered the pain they held when he said that he never expected her to love him. Pain when he realized that there was a connection when they were together. She didn't want to cause him pain

Ethon's hand raised to caress her cheek, his thumb grazed over the tiny freckles hidden in her skin.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"I don't know yet. You?"

"Same." He took a deep breath. "Rose. I am really sorry for being such an ass. I had agreed to no games. I offered friendship and protection. Then, I couldn't face the reality of you learning anything about me. I failed at being a friend or protecting you."

"You succeeded at both eventually."

"Not fast enough. You never should have been caught or hurt. I don't deserve your forgiveness or another chance. So, I won't ask for either."

With a gentle nudge, Rose pushed Ethon back in the bed so that she could lay down next to him. She placed her head on his shoulder.

"Then tell me what happened. Let me decide for myself. Why did you run?"

His fingers slid across her bare arms, exposed by the Sanctuary tank top she wore since her shirt had been torn. Ethon kissed her forehead and hugged her close to him. Finding her wrist he kissed the Tudor rose tattoo on her the inside of her wrist as well. His thumb traced circles over the design.

If she decided to leave, he wouldn't blame her. But as long as she was offering the contact, he would soak it in. He wanted to memorize the feel of her in his arms before she was gone.

Truth. If he was going to have any chance to keep Rosslyn in his life at all, he had to tell her the truth. Maybe not all of it. But at least explain why he ran. It was a start.

"I do want you Rose. I told you, I don't know how to open up to people. And when I was with you, it drained me, drained my energy in a way that sex doesn't usually result in. It was strange and confusing. Then, to hear you say that you knew about my shellfish allergy from seeing my mind during that connection. That made me feel betrayed and angry." He wanted to say he felt weak. Yet, he still couldn't bring himself to admit any weakness. Not even to her.

She looked up at him. "I didn't try to do it. It just happened. I am new to all of this too."

"I know." He soothed. "Rose, You might not remember your childhood, but I can guarantee that I didn't grow up like you did. Mine was a very harsh childhood. Fierce and bloody. Never show any weakness. Make everyone else suffer to protect myself or even get food. And if they did me wrong, I wouldn't just teach them a lesson, I would chop them up into pieces. Very literally."

"When? Where?"

"Ancient Greece. I was born in Athens, but raised in the training camps of Sparta. It wasn't a life you could imagine."

She grazed her fingers over the mangled scars of one arm. "I could imagine a lot."

"There was only one man that I trusted with my life." He continued. Air pulled into his lungs as he took one long deep breath. "Iairos and I were like brothers. We trained together. Lived together. Took beatings for each other. Saved each other's lives. But he was under the mistaken belief that I had bedded his wife."

"What?"

"I didn't. I swear it. I wouldn't do that to my friend. Still, he believed it anyway. In the end, he joined my enemies and shared all of my weaknesses. They knew just how to bait me, just how to trap me, and just how to make me fall."

"The shellfish?"

He nodded. "The arrows were dipped in shellfish."

"Oh gods. What an awful way to die."

He snorted. "I wish I would have died. They managed to save my life, just to keep me alive for another two months of torture and humiliation."

Rosslyn rolled to straddle him. Her face contorted in anger and worry as she looked down at him. As though somehow, she could force the reality to change through pure strength of will. "Ethon, please tell me that was an exaggeration."

He shook his head. Her hands moved over her mouth.

"No wonder… How could anyone earn your trust after that?" She paused. "Wait. That was your human life, as a Dark-Hunter…"

"I already tried. The allergy remains." He cut her off, knowing where her mind was headed. "I do heal faster and it won't kill me. But it could still be a dangerous weapon to be used against me, slow me down."

The look in her eyes shredded him. She showed honest concern for him. Not pity. Not fear. He had never had that type of tenderness from anyone. Never from his mother. Not even from Samia, her looks were always twinged with guilt.

How could a woman who he pushed away repeatedly hold such kindness for him?

Rosslyn had tried to protect him in Azmodea. He could see the indecision in her eyes as she wanted to tell them everything to save him. Thank the gods, she was smart enough to know it wouldn't really help and in the end, she would only betray him for nothing if she caved.

It had taken decades before he fully trusted Samia with the knowledge of his life. For her to prove to him that she wasn't going to tell anyone else. Not that he tested her, it was simply the reality of no one else learning that secret.

Yet, as he looked in Rosslyn's eyes, he came to the startling reality. He already did trust her to know about him, to not betray him. What he didn't trust was whether or not she would stay once she learned it all. Knew his shame, the fuel to his darkness.

Ethon's hands slid along Rose's thighs and up to her waist. "You learned about my weakness by accident. I can't change that. The fact that you knew and you didn't tell Noir or Azura, no matter how much they threatened or hurt you, that means the world to me. I hope that over time, I can learn to open up and tell you the rest."

"I don't want to expose your secrets. If you don't want to tell me, then don't. I am not forcing anything on you."

He shrugged. "We will have to see. Because that whole learning while having sex is kind of a factor."

Rosslyn didn't know what to say. A large part of her wanted to pull away.

She didn't want forced trust. Learning the information through other means and then he had no choice but to hope that she didn't betray him. No, she wanted him to tell her himself, so that they could have sex together, free of worry. Free to share openly.

However, she didn't see that happening any time soon. And no matter how much her heart wanted to take things slow with him, to be patient and give him time to open up; the reality was that she already felt her sexual hunger again. Rosslyn would eventually need to feed. Damn it.

Being a succubus seriously complicated everything. Her mind and heart wanted to go slow. Her hunger needed to move faster. But pushing for sex before he was ready to share his secrets would just be wrong and it would be a betrayal. She understood the consequences.

"Do you understand?" He asked. "I wasn't trying to hurt you. I just don't know how to face all of this yet."

She nodded and leaned down. Her legs still straddled his waist as her chest settled on top of his, her head tucked under his chin as his arms wrapped around her back. Rosslyn melted into him. She was surprised by just how relaxed she was in such an intimate position with him. It felt natural. She felt safe.

"I'm sorry Ethon." She whispered.

Ethon lowered his face to nuzzle into the top of her black waves. "It wasn't your fault."

"Can you tell me about you. Not your secrets. Just your human life, or your family? What do you like to do for fun? Anything?" She asked.

"My parents barely knew me, I was sent to be trained in a Spartan camp when I was six and then sent off to war at sixteen. I returned years later and then continued to lead my father's army in a series of battles against the very Spartans that trained me. I was so successful that the Spartans feared me for centuries."

He smirked.

"Anyway, I was the heir to the throne. So, that had its responsibilities. But my mother obviously favored my younger brother."

Rosslyn looked up. "You really were a prince?" He nodded. "Who knew my prince charming was really a prince?" She chuckled.

Ethon's breath stopped. She claimed him as _**her**_ prince charming. It was something she had started to call him when she was frustrated during their trainings. It started out as a sarcastic retort when he was being an ass. Yet, when she called him _**her**_ prince charming, it sounded different. And it swelled his heart with pride.

"What about your brother?" She asked.

"Ioel was a good man. A good statesmen. An honest and compassionate leader. He could have made a good king. But he walked away from the line of succession to be with the woman he loved. To be with Samia."

Rose turned to look at him again. Her brows creased together. Ethon reached up to smooth away the worry with his thumb. "You heard me right. Samia and my brother were very happily married once upon a time."

Ethon closed his eyes then looked straight into Rosslyn's. "You were right before. I did care for Samia. For a very long time. I still do. Only as a friend now. Much like it seems Nick does for you."

She shook her head. "But, I don't…"

"Shhh. I know. You're just friends. I understand. And just as Nick has to keep things as just friends because you are not interested in him and any sexual relations would expose secrets, that is how Samia and I are. The problem is that we made that mistake. With her psychic powers, she can see everything, every memory, through touch. Racked with guilt and horror, she ran."

"Ethon." Rosslyn whispered.

"That was a long time ago. I am happy for her. And honestly, I have slowly come to see her as only a friend and member of my family. I no longer pine for her like I used to."

"Why?"

He shrugged gently as she was still straddled over him with her head on his chest. "I met this mysterious woman who took my breath away."

"Who?"

"You."

She rolled her eyes.

He smiled. "I'm serious."

"Yeah, okay." She said sarcastically.

Ethon cupped her face and tilted it up to look at him. "I have been drawn to you since the moment I saw you running down the street. I fought it so hard because it is so difficult for me to trust anyone and I didn't want to hurt you. And damn it, I hurt you anyway. I deeply regret that."

Her perfect pink lips pulled into a half smile before she frowned slightly.

"What are we going to do Ethon?"

"I don't know. I know that I care for you. Still, it's all so complicated." He hugged her tighter. Completely amazed at how much he told her. He had never really told anyone about any of it. He knew that he had to tell her some. But it was like, once he started he couldn't stop. It felt so nice to talk to her about some of it. And she didn't pull away or run.

Of course, she didn't know the details. Not like Samia did. And with the succubus connection, there was a chance that Rose would see just how bloodthirsty he could be. And why.

Would Rose run away then? Could he have sex with her again, knowing that that might be the time that she would learn? The time that she would grow to hate him? Would it be the trigger that led to her betrayal?

"So, how are the two…" Carson stopped. "Sorry for interrupting."


	17. Chapter 17

It was about an hour before sunset when Otto walked in to find Rosslyn and Ethon curled up together on the recovery room bed.

"Well, it's about time you two worked out whatever you had between you." He grumbled.

Ethon looked up at him with groggy eyes. "Let her sleep. She needs it."

Otto tilted his head and arched a brow. "I heard about what happened. Not sure if I should kick your ass for leaving her alone or thank you for saving her?"

"You wouldn't win." Ethon grinned.

"Perhaps, perhaps not."

"Yeah, well, good luck with that. I know I deserve it. But I am not likely to just sit back and take it a second time." Nick had honestly gone very easy on him. The man was more worried about finding Rose than hurting Ethon. Though, at the time, Ethon was ready to let him do more. He wasn't at that same point any more. Otto would get a fight and regret it.

Otto watched Rosslyn sleep in Ethon's arms. She looked so peaceful, so innocent. Nothing like the girl he once knew. Not any more. Rosslyn had been more like Otto. Raised to be fierce, controlled, dangerous. In many ways, she still was that girl. However, all of the verbal reminders, the training, the reasons to keep those walls up… those were all gone. She was more open and free with how she felt. And despite all of the uncertainty of her situation and Ethon's stubbornness in opening up to her, she actually seemed more content.

In a way, he was happy that his cousin had a fresh start. She didn't have to remember the past.

He took a deep breath. "Ethon…" He paused. Unsure if he should continue. "From what Chi explained to me down stairs, Rosslyn is never going to remember anything more about her life before. It's part of the curse of being a succubus."

Ethon nodded his head.

Rosslyn stirred a little as the two men watched her. She rolled until she buried her face in Ethon's chest. Once she settled back into sleep, Ethon spoke again.

"You're worried about her past memories still?" Ethon asked quietly.

Otto nodded silently.

Ethon hugged her to him a bit tighter, protectively from her past, from the fear of the previous twenty four hours.

"She does remember, when she dreams. Just not when she's awake."

Otto raised a brow. "How would you know?"

"It's complicated. But I think she is stronger than you realize."

"What are you two talking about?" Rosslyn mumbled.

Otto cleared his throat as he caressed Rosslyn's cheek tenderly. "I came in here to let you know that I got your stuff for you. That is where I went. To London. I didn't tell you because I wasn't sure what I would be able to accomplish or find when I got there. I didn't want to get your hopes up. But I was able to use a few connections that were willing to look the other way on the Council's orders to at least get your finances transferred to a bank account here in New Orleans to start with. And I packed up your stuff."

"Thank you."

He smiled. "Don't thank me yet. I have no idea if you still want any of it. At least it's a start. I sorted everything. The housewares are in storage incase you do get your own place and need them. Memorabilia type things of your past, I sent to your parents. You might not remember things enough to want them now, but I didn't feel right throwing it all out. Everyday use stuff is currently at my place, but I will bring it to you. You know, clothes and things."

Rosslyn hugged Ethon once more and then climbed out of the bed to hug Otto. "You shouldn't have defied the Council just to get my stuff. But thank you."

He shrugged. "They said you are no longer a Squire and you no longer get access to the network. That says nothing about you keeping things you already earned and purchased. Nor, for me to use the network to make it happen."

She smiled. Her stomach growled. "Damn, I am never going to stop being hungry." She looked over at Ethon and raked him with a very hungry gleam in her eye. Then she blushed. "Will they let me get food in the bar instead of this room?"

Otto laughed. "As long as you pay, they will feed you. I'll show you to the bar."

She shook her head. "I'll wait for Ethon."

"No. It's okay. I just need a minute. Sunset is in a little bit anyway. I will get a shower and then join you in a few." He said.

He had to catch his breath and pull himself together before he followed Otto and Rose down to the bar.

* * *

It was a little after sunset when Ethon walked down to join them. His mind had been racing. He had finally started to trust Rosslyn to some extent. He could see that he was most likely going to tell her the details of his life at some point. But then knowing about her past, he wasn't sure that was the right thing to do.

Rosslyn sat at a table with Otto, Chi and Fang. The two demon experts were answering questions that Rosslyn was throwing at them. She was eager to understand more about herself.

"Alright, what about dreams?"

Chi and Fang looked at each other. Ethon's ears picked up as he paused to hear the answer before he walked up and derailed the conversation.

"What do you mean?" Fang asked.

She shrugged. "Ethon said something, one time, about messing with his dreams. But I don't remember dreaming. At all. Not a single dream in the past few weeks."

"Well, that's new." Chi tilted her head.

As Ethon watched Acheron strolled up next to him. "Do we need to have an awkward conversation about the birds and the bees? Cuz, I really don't want to do that."

Ethon glared at him. "Please don't."

"Then why question her about messing with your dreams? Dreaming about someone can be a normal part of falling for them."

He shook his head. "No man. Have you seen the Phoenix tattoo across her back?"

Ash raised a brow. "I would think the only one who has seen the whole thing is you."

Ethon took a deep breath. "We were together only once, and I didn't see it then. I have had these dreams of her and in them, I have seen the whole thing in intimate detail. We didn't have sex, just a chance to really study it and see her glowing eyes. And I had that dream the first time I slept while she was in my house. Before we knew her demon form included glowing eyes."

Acheron looked over at Rosslyn. "Interesting."

"I don't know. Dreams can take on many purposes. But fundamentally, your subconscious controls them. Maybe it's not an issue of you not dreaming, but your curse not allowing you to remember your dreams because of the risk of old memories coming up there. I mean, it would make sense. If you are cursed to not remember your life, then dreaming about your memories and remembering those would be an odd loophole that I am sure Hera would have thought of." Chi answered.

"That sounds good." Fang concurred. "I have never talked to a succubus to ask if they dream."

"Ethon! Glad you are here." Everyone looked up at Calix.

The Greek raised a brow as the other Dark-Hunter walked toward him with a black gift bag. "What's up Prefect?"

The man laughed. "Just dropping this off before I get back out for patrols." He handed Ethon the bag.

Ash laughed. "You were going to patrol with a gift until you found E?"

Calix shrugged. "Happy wife, happy life… or something or other. Gods only knows how mine will all work out."

The men all sat with Rose and the others as they chatted.

Ethon was confused. "Why would Morginne send me a gift?"

Rose jumped in. "Wait. You're are married? And you are still a Dark-Hunter?"

The rest of the table groaned. "Yeah, we can tell you that story later." Otto answered.

Tissue paper crinkled as Ethon removed it from the bag and lifted a note. The laughter that followed was full on belly shaking laugh.

Everyone was frozen. Rose leaned over. "Who are you? Is this invasion of the pod people?"

The smile didn't drop as he waggled his eyebrows. "A few months ago, we faced a little problem with Calix's wife. At one point, Nick suggested that we discuss the issues over coffee and me being my naturally charming self made some comment about only drinking my coffee black and served out of the skulls of my enemies."

"Yeah, that sounds like you." Chi chuckled.

Ethon held up the black note card with silver writing:

' _Now you can drink your coffee the sanitary way.'_

Then he pulled out the human skull coffee mug.

The whole table laughed.

Calix grinned. "I introduced Morginne to online shopping now that we have so much baby stuff to get and the stores are usually closed before sunset. She found that somewhere."

"Thanks man." Ethon chuckled again. "I'll chat with you online later."

Calix wasn't a Dog of War, so he couldn't stay long without his powers being drained. Yet, it was nice of him to stop with the gift.

Rosslyn was so confused, but she didn't ask anything else. She would drill Otto later. She wanted to know how a Dark-Hunter was married and still in service without Artemis or Acheron getting pissed off. Could something like that work for Ethon and her? Not that she was thinking of marriage or anything. Just the chance to work toward something without breaking rules.

"How are you feeling Rosslyn?" Ash asked as Calix left.

She smiled as she regained her focus. "Better. I have noticed that when I eat food, my sexual appetite doesn't go away, but the edge diminishes."

"What about the reverse? Does sex affect your food hunger?" Fang asked.

Rosslyn blushed. "I don't know about a trend. But I didn't get hungry for food for several hours."

The Were-Hunter reached over and clapped Ethon on the shoulder. "You are a lucky man."

Ethon and Otto both growled. Rosslyn tried to stop the flush of color that warmed her face. "Let's just take all of that one day at a time, please. It's all just seriously complicated."

Fang leaned forward, completely unapologetic for making anyone uncomfortable. "Sugar, you have to feed. If you don't you will start to go crazy, lose control and hurt people. Now that you aren't pawing at every available guy and can have a conversation, I can see that you are a good person. I don't want to see you get hurt or carry the guilt of hurting anyone else."

Rosslyn nodded. "I know that. But I don't feel comfortable just having casual sex with random guys. And I refuse to allow the fact that I am now a succubus to force me to do more than I am comfortable with. It's bad enough that I…" She looked at Ethon.

He wrapped an arm around her. "You have nothing to worry about on that account."


	18. Chapter 18

Ethon walked Rosslyn back to his townhouse. The two were quiet. Rosslyn didn't know what to say, things had been so hot or cold with Ethon that she didn't know what he was thinking. Ethon, on the other hand, was listening to the voices of the dead. They warned him that things with Noir were not over yet.

As they walked up the steps to his door, he paused. "Rose, how did they get in?"

She looked at the ground. "I called Nick. So, when I heard a knock at the door, I thought it was him. I opened the door."

He sighed. It was all his fault. If he hadn't have run out the door, she wouldn't have called Nick. He pulled her back into the house and wrapped his arms around her. "I really am sorry about before. From now on, we find another way for things to happen. Anything. Just as long as you don't open that door again. Please."

She nodded.

They looked around at the mess and started to clean. The Squires had already gotten the door fixed. But they didn't clean anything yet. Still, having the door fixed was appreciated.

* * *

Ethon frowned as he looked around the room Rose had been held in while in Azmodea. She was held down and crying.

"Rose, this is a dream. You are safe now. Please don't give in to your fears." He said as he broke her chains and scooped her into his arms.

He changed the scene so that he could sit on the edge of the water near their waterfall. She settled into his lap as the tears slowly calmed to relaxed, even breaths.

There was no telling how long she would suffer from those fears. And Ethon's heart broke at knowing just how much more pain she carried.

"Thank you for saving me." She whispered. "I wish you were in Rome all those years ago."

Air didn't want to move in his lungs. He wished that he could have saved her from those pains as well. "What happened then?"

"I'm sure Otto or Acheron gave you the overview."

His lips pressed together. "I know that Desiderius used you and your mom as bait for Lorelai, she died, and there was a man…"

Suddenly the freckle on her knee was fascinating as she tried to avoid his eyes. He let out a breath. "I won't make you relive that horror. I promise. I just wanted to know if it was true. I am sorry I brought it up."

"It's why I have the Phoenix tattoo, you know." Her voice was so quiet, he almost didn't hear her.

"I didn't know." He whispered back.

As they sat there, the scene around them changed. The walls were lined with slightly rusted metal. There were no doors or windows that Ethon could see. Everything was flush with the wall. The floor was filthy with random debris piled everywhere. The ceiling opened up to the night sky.

In a corner sat Lorelai as she cuddled the seven year old Rosslyn in her arms. Rosslyn's mother still lay unconscious, barely breathing.

The rich tones of Lorelai's voice spoke the memorized words of one of the Harry Potter books as she recited the story to help calm Rosslyn. She spoke of magic and battles, basilisks and a Phoenix who helped save the day.

Rosslyn looked up to the woman. "I wish you were like the Phoenix. You could rise again. I don't want you to go Lorelai. It's all my fault."

Ethon trembled as he watched a seven year old child understand more about death than she ever should have known. The guilt she carried.

Lorelai shook her head. "No, my beautiful rose blossom, none of this is your fault. Don't you ever think that. You hear me? Nothing that happens to me, your mother, or even what happened to your brother is your fault. This is all Desiderius's fault. And only his." She wiped the tears from Rosslyn's small cheeks. "Even as a shade, I will always love you and look out for you."

The words only brought more tears from the girl. "I can't lose you too. I lost my brother. I don't know if my mom will wake up. Please Aunt Lorelai. You're strong, like Dumbledore. You have to find a way."

Lorelai smiled as the sun started to crest over the horizon. "Even Dumbledore died."

They had huddled into the darkest corner of the room. Rosslyn had gathered as much of the trash as she could and took off her own clothes to try to cover Lorelai from the sun. But it was no use. The sun reflected off of the metal walls, illuminating every inch. The thin protection only held back the burn for so long before the sun rose enough to burn any remaining exposed spots.

Deep sobs racked the seven year old as she watched her family burn to ash. "Please Lorelai, be like the Phoenix. Please come back."

It was no wonder the tattoo was so intensely designed. It had to have taken years to find the perfect flow of lines and colors to represent something so powerfully heartbreaking. Now he understood the lack of color for most of the bird.

Lorelai never did rise again. Not in this plane of existence. She had been condemned to the rest of eternity as a shade. To never be seen. To never be able to quench thirst or hunger. To be able to see the world, yet be utterly isolated from it in painful torment for the rest of history. The fate of all Dark-Hunters who die.

He hugged Rose tighter as he kissed the top of her head. There were simply no words that he could say to such a thing. It was a horrible past to carry. Especially for a child.

* * *

The sound of footsteps as they echoed down the stairs drew Ethon's attention.

Rose stopped on the last step and looked at him. "What are you doing?

He smirked. "Cooking. What's it look like?"

"I've never seen you cook before." She pointed out suspiciously.

He took a deep breath. "I never had anyone to cook for." He pulled a roasted duck from the oven. "I actually like to cook, but when you first got here, I was trying very hard not to let you know that. Or anything about me."

"It smells delicious."

It had taken some time, but Ethon and Rose had worked out a comfortable plan. They agreed to try getting to know one another. Ethon hadn't been ready to share his past, but he was trying to trust her with getting to know the man he was there, in front of her.

Several days had passed since the rescue from Azmodea. As much as Rose had gained everyone's trust to start walking around in public, the fear that Noir and Azura were still after her, kept her under house arrest for the time.

So, Ethon had broken down and introduced her to his friends online, shared some of his hobbies and even took the monstrous step of telling her about all of his Dark-Hunter powers.

There was something refreshing about opening up to Rose. He knew it would be a slow process, but she never ridiculed or criticized his choices. Not even the fact that the majority of his social interactions where through Call of Duty or Halo. And the group consisted of his late brother's grandson who was a Dark-Hunter, Calix and his Squire, several of the Were-Hunters from Sanctuary, and occasionally, the gods of fear and terror. Ash and some of the other Dogs of War joined in once in a while as well.

They sat next to each other and ate their meal. Ethon had made roasted duck with brussel sprouts and carrots in the pan, plus a large dish of scalloped potatoes.

"I think that I might just keep you around now that I know you cook." Rosslyn complimented after the meal. "That was really good."

"Oh, ouch. You would only keep me around for cooking, but not the rest of me?"

She giggled. "You are cute. But not so blindingly cute to miss the fact that you snore…" She started. He raised a brow and prowled up to her as she washed her plates. "You randomly talk to the dead." She smirked at him while his hands gripped the countertops on either side of her, caging her in. "And you are so damn easy to tease."

He spun her around and captured her lips with his. She melted into his kiss. They hadn't kissed since her rescue. At least nothing like that. Small kisses to the head and cheeks, pecks on the lips once or twice. Nothing heated. Nothing lustful. They wanted to slow down.

But damn it, Rose just had to go and tease Ethon and he really liked it. Yet, he wouldn't let her get away with it. She wanted to tease him? He would tease her.

His hands slid down to her hips to lift her on to the countertop. His hips settled between her knees as he pulled her forward to press against his hardened anatomy. He smirked as he heard her whimper and he opened his eyes to see hers narrowed to slit. Just enough of her eyes showed to see their blue glow of lust. He had finally confirmed just what her glowing eyes were. They were her connection to the succubus blood. They glowed when she was hungry, when she was letting the lust course through her veins. He loved the sight of her turned on because of him.

With one more rock of his hips and deep sweep with his tongue, he pulled back. "You were saying something about me not being so blindingly cute to keep?"

She growled and pushed him away. He laughed at how adorable she looked when she was frustrated.

"Tell me the truth, how is your hunger?" He asked seriously.

Rosslyn sighed. "I am hungry. Especially after that stunt." She whined softly. "But I am not as edgy as I was before. So, I am still good."

He hugged her tightly to him. "We will get there." He was already thinking about sharing his worst secrets with Rose in their dreams. To help gage her reactions in the waking world. If she hated him in the dreams, then she wouldn't remember while awake. It was a safe test.

The fact that he was even considering it, voluntarily, it was miles away from where he was a few weeks before. He never thought he would ever tell anyone the truth willingly. What had the demon girl done to him?

"Seriously, don't stop there. I was enjoying the show." A voice chimed in.

Ethon whipped around to glare at the man that sat at the kitchen counter. "How in the hell did you get in?"

"Ethon? Who are you talking to?" Rosslyn asked as she pulled back to look around the house. Nothing seemed out of place.

"Ah, go on. Tell her the truth."

The Dark-Hunter growled. "Papa Ghede. He is one of the Loa of the Voodoo pantheon. And not supposed to be able to enter my house."

The spirit shrugged. He removed his top hat and set it on the counter before he leaned forward to prop his elbows. His one visible eye sparkled in amusement. Until the spirit removed the dark tinted glasses that were missing one lens and looked Ethon straight in the eyes with both of his. "You Dark-Hunters are not supposed to have relationships. Yet, the truth does show the expectation to be false. There are so many of you finding love in this city."

Ethon pulled away from Rose and turned so that she was behind him. She might not have been able to see the Loa, but that wouldn't stop Papa Ghede if he wanted to do something. Since Morginne had helped with a small Voodoo issue, Papa Ghede had shown up to talk to Ethon on occasion. Ethon was never sure why, but he let it go until the moment the Loa showed up in his kitchen. Then he wanted answers.

"Why are you here?" Ethon demanded.

Papa Ghede smiled. It didn't reach his dark brown eyes. "There are so few that see us. Neither demon, nor truly spirit. Nor god, or human. The Loa are unique. The gods can see us, though most ignore us. And those with the gifts strong enough to see us are few and far between." He stated wistfully.

"That doesn't answer my question."

"No. It doesn't. I came to warn you. Noir is up to something. He was the god who was pulling my brother's strings a few months ago. Looking for a demon called the Malachai. A creature created to help Noir end the world so that the god can take ultimate control. He knows the creature is in New Orleans and protected by the Egyptian goddess Ma'at."

Ethon listened quietly. He knew about the Malachai. Alright, he just recently learned about the Malachai, but had spent years trying to train the punk and keep him safe not knowing what he was. However, he would not let the Loa know that. "Why are you telling me this?"

With a sigh, Papa Ghede dropped his eyes. "No one trusts Noir. If he succeeds, there is no good for any pantheon. The Baron is still drinking his Kool-aide, though he no longer is a threat to the child. However, he does remember you and those that helped the Druid keep the girl from him. He is… a little bitter. And then, Noir told him that you took something from him." The spirit looked at Rosslyn.

Rosslyn's hands caressed Ethon's back as she tried to sooth some of his tension. She didn't know what was going on. Couldn't hear or see anything of the spirit she knew was present. Still, she needed the contact to help her nerves and hoped it would help Ethon's as well. He slowly leaned back until her hands wrapped around to splay across his tight, toned stomach that made her drool. Her chin rested on his shoulder. Patiently waiting for answers.

Papa Ghede watched her. "Not that I blame you. I would have saved her if she looked at me the way she does you. And a succubus…" He sucked his teeth. The Loa was known for being a touch hyper-sexualized. Given his fascination with human sexuality and the entertainment he finds in revealing people's darkest sexual desires, one might think that he was the Loa of sex, fertility, or even love. No… he was the spirit of crossroads. His duty was to ferry souls to the otherside. What an odd personality quirk for a being of death.

"So, you delivered your warning. You can go now." Ethon stated dryly. He had no patience for where Papa Ghede's mind was going.

The spirit glanced back up from his thoughts with a slight frown. "No. You must understand. I. Got. In. Here." He emphasised each word of the sentence. "That was my message. It took some work, but I did it. You see me because I was a warrior who fell. My brother was not. Baron Samedi was a holy man in his mortal life. You cannot see him Dark-Hunter. And, if I could get in, then so could he. You need to take your woman somewhere else. Erzulie assures me that if Noir gets his hands on her again, he will find the Malachai. That must be stopped."

Ethon's chest grew tight. How did he not realize that the second that Papa Ghede showed up? "Shit. Thank you Papa Ghede." He grabbed his phone and called Acheron immediately.


	19. Chapter 19

"Like this isn't awkward." Ethon groaned under his breath.

Ash shrugged. "Noir needs Rosslyn to find Nick. So, this makes the most sense."

"Can't find her if he can't find me." Nick rolled his eyes. "Now that she's here, Ash can fuck off."

Rosslyn looked between the two men. "History much?"

Nick growled at Acheron. "Yeah, why don't you explain that one?"

"Decide Nick. Want me to go, or stay and explain?" Ash quipped. Then he disappeared.

"Jackass." Nick muttered.

Rosslyn tilted her head at her friend. "Remind me not to get on your bad side."

Nick scoffed. "Trust me. You would know it well before you got that far with me. Ethon knows where the spare room is." Then he walked away, toward the kitchen.

"Damn, I feel like I should just carry a measuring tape with me any time I am around you all." She muttered.

Ethon arched a brow.

Without shame or embarrassment, she looked him in the eye. "What? Then you would all know who's is really bigger and move on."

"Not helping!" Nick shouted from the other room.

Lips moved, but nothing came out as Ethon tried to figure out what to say. He had certainly heard worse from women. Samia and Chi could make a sailor blush. But that statement was just so not expected. His mind bounced between being turned on by her brashness and the idea of dropping his pants to let her measure him, or the understanding that she would get that much of an eye full of Nick. Ethon accepted that they were friends, that didn't mean he was comfortable with his Rose fondling the guy. Though, the idea of another woman… like Chi… actually measuring the other two men did have the potential to be hilarious.

His lips still moved as he couldn't settle on a thought or emotion. Rosslyn thought it made him look like a fish. She giggled.

"Alright Nemo, help me find my room." She shook her head and turned toward the stairs.

* * *

Rosslyn stepped down the stairs as she heard Nick and Ethon talking about the situation at hand. Trying not to talk about her.

"What I don't get is that Papa Ghede got in at all." Ethon groaned. "I thought Acheron's protections would have blocked everyone."

The huff from Nick showed just what he thought of Ethon's faith in the Dark-Hunter leader. "Ash is not perfect."

"Get over your bitterness and help me think. If the Loa were able to get through, we should know how and why."

A wide hand scrubbed over Nick's face and into his hair as he tried to release his resentment and anger enough to focus. "Fine. Let's see, the Loa are somewhat reincarnated shades. Humans who died, and then did something stupid enough to make them shades instead of going to some hell or heaven realm. They are completely non-corporeal in the mortal world. Beings of magic… they are bound by the magic around them. They can't manipulate the physical world on their own. However, they know magic really damn well."

"So, what? Papa Ghede just knows magic well enough to eventually figure out how to break a hole?"

Nick shrugged. "Maybe. There are many possibilities. We may never know for sure, since I doubt he'll tell you."

Rose took her chance to jump in. "Alright mister optimistic, let's focus figuring out how I can have this new life of mine that doesn't involve me being a prisoner for eternity."

Both men looked up at her. They knew she had been there. She hadn't been quiet and she sat in the room with them as they chatted. However, it was the first moment to jump in.

It was strange for her to look at them both. Side by side. Two men that held a special place for her. Two men who were friends, in a way. Both hesitant with the other due to the awkwardness of their relationships with Rose. Yet, she hadn't felt so safe since she woke in the alley next to Sanctuary so many weeks before. The two men who truly wanted to protect her. Acheron and Otto did as well, sure. Just not in the same way.

Just that reminder made her smile slightly. From what Otto had told her, her mother had been rather closed off for years and her father was busy and rigid. So, Rose had been rather isolated in her life before. Now, in the strange new life with no true memory of the time before, she had built a small family without even trying.

She still had Otto, who swore that they had been close for years. Rose and Nick had comfortably found a friendship. Ethon was still rather uncertain. Yet, she couldn't bring herself to think of wanting anyone else. Acheron had made it clear that she was welcome as family in some weird way. All because Simi gave her blood and welcomed her as a sister. Xirena and Xedrix followed behind.

Then Rose froze. "Bonding." Her voice worked it's way out in a breath.

The men scowled. "What about bonding?" Nick asked.

Her mind was churning as she remembered what Ash and Simi had explained about how a demon could bond to a person.

"Could I bond to someone?" She asked.

"Oh, no you don't." Nick chuckled. Ethon looked confused. "For a demon to bond to someone… it's permanent. There is no going back."

"But, _**if**_ …" She emphasised that one word. "If, I was to bond to someone, could they call me back if I was to be taken? Or, find me? I mean, I don't even know if I could do that since I am a hybrid. But could it help with this whole Noir thing?"

Nick shook his head. "It might be possible. However, you being bonded to anyone would only put that person in danger."

"Everyone I know is already in danger because of me." She whispered. There had to be a way to save the few people she cared about.

"The original plan was that you would be strong enough to convince them to not come after you. However, other than strength and eating insane amounts of food, you haven't show enough power to steer them away. They still caught you." His eyes landed on Ethon. "It could solve your issues though."

Ethon frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"If Rosslyn bonded to you… well, you would be bonded. For eternity. Nothing that Artemis could do to change that. Stay Dark-Hunter and bonded demon together. Better option than getting your soul when she's immortal or being turned into a shade for breaking the rules."

"It's still breaking the rules." Ethon scoffed.

"Only bending them. Just like how she can't force Morginne and Calix apart since they were married before they became Dark-Hunters."

Ethon's black eyes looked at Rose. Yeah, they were building up to something. But bonding? That was one hell of a commitment. They weren't there yet. "Something to think about later. It doesn't help now."

"Actually, it does." Acheron popped into the house. Nick growled at him. Ash only rolled his eyes.

Rose tried to ignore the hostility between Nick and Ash. Whatever the reasons for it, none of it was about her and they could obviously work together when needed. No matter how much either man complained. "So, skipping past the freakish show up suddenly and seem to already know the conversation thing…" She raised a brow at the newest person to join the conversation. "How would it help?"

"Noir would have a more challenging time tracking you while you are bonded. It would make you less accessible and add a whole other layer of difficulty that he wasn't expecting. It may push things into the realm of too much work to bother. Additionally, it would leave you completely out of the hands of the Baron. As a bonded demon, he wouldn't be able to separate you two. Together, you are too strong for him to take on."

"Why didn't you just say that in the beginning?" Ethon huffed.

Ash shrugged a shoulder. "Had things to check on first. And it had to be something that Rosslyn was willing to consider."

"So, because she was the first to offer the idea, that somehow equates her acceptance?" The former Greek prince pushed.

A head full of long, black hair tilted. "What are you more upset about? The delay in explanation? The fact that this is a real possibility? Or that this might force you to make some serious choices?"

Ethon pushed up and got into Acheron's face. It was a stupid move. He knew it. Yet, his anger pushed him. His sense of suicidal recklessness numbed the prickling of power that he felt around Ash. "This isn't something for you to decide Ash. You have been my friend. One of the very few. But this is my life."

"No, Ethon. This is Rosslyn's life." The Atlantean man watched his Dark-Hunter process that. The range of emotions from anger to fear, worry to protectiveness. Could he bring down those last walls in order to save the woman he was falling in love with?

Ethon blinked when he felt a warm hand press against his shoulder. Rosslyn.

"I appreciate everyone's input." She said quietly. "However, this was an idea. Not meant to be something to push onto anyone. It is my life, but it is Ethon's as well. Bonding is for eternity. Not for a few days to get through the danger. I would never ask that of him."


	20. Chapter 20

Ethon sat in the darkness of Nick's spare room. The daytime light was sealed away for his protection.

He was supposed to be sleeping.

A fickle thing, sleep.

His mind raced with memories, thoughts, emotions.

Rose needed him, and once again he was hesitant out of his own fears. What kind of a man did that to a woman? To the woman that he knew he was falling in love with?

Still, the commitment of it slowed him down.

Did he want to protect her. Hell yes.

Was he ready for marriage? Well… uh… that was kind of sudden. And the whole bonding thing with a succubus that he was in a relationship with sure as hell sounded like a more committed version of marriage.

What would happen if the relationship didn't work out? Could he tie Rose to him, bonded, forced under his command in a way, an eternity of her being trapped with him? Would she grow to hate him?

His thoughts were paused when there was a knock at his door.

Ethon wasn't surprised to see Nick on the other side. Though, honestly, he would have prefered it to be Rose.

"If you are going to even think of this plan, then figure out if you can trust her first." Nick growled. "If you can't be honest with her, to her face instead of your freaky dreams, then there is no chance of any relationship and bonding will only make everything worse."

"Stay out of my head." A furious tick worked in the Greek hunter's jaw.

Without missing a beat, Nick glared at him. "I've been trying to sleep. You are stressing out too damn loud. So go, the fuck, to sleep. Deal with your shit there. Tonight, either tell her the truth for real or give it up. Don't string her along."

Moments later, Ethon fell into bed, sleep finally over taking him. He was only vaguely was aware that Nick was the one forcing him into the needed slumber.

* * *

It hadn't taken long before Ethon's dreams merged with Rose's. He watched the scene as she fought some daimons who had ambushed her. The Dark-Hunter leaned against the wall and watched her. She was impressive for a human. Of course, most Blood Rites Squires were.

He flinched when she was thrown into a wall with a fist around her throat. It was a dream. He repeated the reminder in his head. Whatever was happening, it was a dream, most likely a memory and she had managed to survive so far. She would be alright.

"Where are your pals?" One tall blond leaned in to question.

Rosslyn's head of natural brown curls carried highlights of purple instead of the blue that Ethon was more familiar with. She looked quite a bit younger as well. The girl smirked in the face of the danger before her. "I can't believe you even have to ask."

"What does that mean?" Another daimon asked.

"It means that we were here all along, dumbass." A well muscled man stepped around the end of the alley. Ethon recognized him, Liam. A Welsh Dark-Hunter stationed in London.

The daimon who held Rose grinned. "You were bait then? I suppose it works since we planned to use you as bait anyway. Now we don't need you."

His fist squeezed her throat tighter until she kicked him in the leg with the steel stiletto heel of her boot. The puncture released his grip enough for her to breath and she jammed her arm up to drive into the bastards nose with the blunt part of her lower palm.

Liam and a few others dispatched with the remaining daimons, yet Rose only focused on the one at her feet. Had he been human, he would have been dead already. However, being a daimon had some advantages with healing. So, he moaned as his body tried to recover from the bone fragments that had been forced into his skull.

Rose remained calm as she knelt down, her fingers pulling a dagger from her boot as she moved. Cold eyes watched the man below her. "I hear that Desiderius is hunting in New Orleans."

Her words were soft enough others probably couldn't hear, however, in the dream, he could make it out just enough. And fuck, Ethon did not like the look in her face or the implications of that statement at all. He knew she could kill, but could she have done worse? Torture? To go after one of the most dangerous daimons the Dark-Hunters had faced.

The daimon spit blood at her.

"Such a shame." She chided. "I would have let you live to give him a message for me if you were willing to cooperate. But as you won't…" Her dagger dropped into the daimon below her. Nothing remained but golden dust.

"You know love, you won't win many friends like that." Liam chuckled.

Her shoulders shrugged, though she didn't say anything.

"Rosslyn!" An angry voice carried from the front of the alley. "What have I told you about that shit?" He roared.

She arched a brow. "Leave my past for Acheron and the Dark Hunters." She finally replied as she stood up.

"Then obey the order." He snapped.

"Yes father." Oh, well that explained the anger from the man. Though Ethon wasn't quite sure what to make of him. He let his daughter work as bait for daimons, fight them, and only got angry when she appeared to search for the monster from her past.

A monster from her past… the thought floated around Ethon's mind. She had true monster's in her past. Now she faced a whole new bunch. And she placed her trust in men who were just as bad.

The gods only knew what Nick truly was. He was dangerous.

And himself…

Fuck it.

Nick was right. There was no point in even thinking about any future if he couldn't trust her.

They both needed to know the truth.

Could she handle his truth? He was about to find out.

"Rose?"

Her head snapped up to look at him, finally realizing he was there.

Ethon couldn't handle the silence that hung between them. "You know he was right, you were too emotionally invested to take on Desiderius alone."

"It's the past, I don't need your assurances. The psycho is dead. Twice from what I heard. I've moved on."

The former prince nodded. "You are a stronger woman than most give you credit for. Even your father."

"A little wishy-washy there prince charming?"

Ethon grinned. "No. He saw your strength in fighting skill, yet worried about the rest of you. He lost one child, and lived through the damage that Desiderius caused to his wife and oldest child. I can understand his fear. And knowing you, seeing the look on your face as you asked that daimon about Desiderius, your father was very right to be concerned. However, I still think you were far stronger than he realized. To face your fears and work through them in ways that he didn't know about. To test yourself with Nick, to seek someone for support with Otto, to ever have given an asshole like me a chance."

"And what is the purpose of this pep talk?" Her head tilted.

A long slow breath worked its way past his lips. "I'm hoping you will have enough strength to surprise me once again."

Rose waited. Her mind bounced between all of the possibilities of what he was up to. As comfortable and accepting as she had become with him, she could sense his unease. And it made her defensive. She remembered their conversations in the waking world. Talking about Baron Samedi, bonding, and more. Was he thinking of trying to have sex again? Surprisingly, her dreams were the only place that her lust didn't drive her absolutely crazy.

Black eyes bored into her blue-green. "I'm going to try to trust you with the darkest parts of me."

Her breath froze.

"If you don't run screaming or absolutely hate me after this, then maybe we could work toward other options."

She could see the nervous fear in his eyes. This was huge. The ultimate disclosure. The foundation toward true, intimate trust.

The scene shifted around them and Rose returned to her more contemporary image. As much as he liked her natural hair color, he missed the black and blue when it was gone. Those were the colors that he had claimed as his Rose.

She looked around at an ancient war camp. Around them were the tents and warriors of an army. However, below her was a beaten pile of flesh that she barely recognized as Ethon Stark.

He was stripped naked, covered in bruises and blood. Hands and feet were tied together and chained down to the ground in front of the whole camp. Unable to anything more than roll to one side or the other. However, it was his face that made her cringe. Swollen and gasping for breath.

"This is when you were captured by the Spartans?" She asked. Her voice barely a breath.

All he could do was nod.

Ethon controlled time, showed her how long it took him to heal. His conversations with Iairos made her gasp, yet he continued. He sped the images to show her his first week of captivity. Being left under the harsh summer sun, chained to the ground where he could be beaten, raped, even urinated on by anyone in the camp.

Rose cried out in gut wrenching sobs as Iairos ordered his teeth to be removed for further humiliation and other's pleasure.

Ethon stopped everything and shifted the dream to blackness. He held her, healed and whole, his body welcomed her arms as they grasped onto him. The feel of her comforted him in ways that he would never be able to explain. The fact that she wasn't disgusted by him… yet.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so, sorry." She hiccupped.

Ethon cupped her face. "You didn't do this."

"But you shouldn't have to relive it because of me." His trauma triggered some of her own fears and memories. The horror. The pain.

The prince looked down at her, unsure if she was ready for more. Terrified that he would cause her more harm by being honest. "Rose, that was only the beginning."

"Oh gods." She tightened her arms and buried her face in his neck. "You had said that you were held captive for two months. Did they… the whole time?"

She could feel his head nod.

It was awful.

Her past was for an hour that felt like eternity. Nothing as brutal or as long as what he had suffered. No wonder he had such a difficult time telling anyone about that.

"Rose… I…" He paused as he took a breath. "I showed you that so that you would understand. At least I hope that you would understand."

"Understand what? You are a victim, like me. But you moved on. None of this makes you the monster you see yourself as." She pulled back to look at him, however his eyes refused to meet hers.

"I wish it were that simple." He whispered. His chest was tight and his heart raced in fear of what he was going to show her.

He would lose her. He knew it.

"I can't do this." He started to lift her out of his lap, to pull away from her.

Rosslyn wasn't about to let him run again. Not after he opened up so much. But the absolute fear in his face told her that showing her his abuse was not the deep darkness that he hated so much.

Then she understood.

After her assault, she hid inside of herself for a long time. The anger, the fear, the desire to hurt others for her abuse boiled and brewed. In her mind, she knew that her mother wasn't to blame. However, she was there. Unconscious. She did nothing to protect her daughter. Her father was a soldier of sorts, he should have protected her.

Rose had wanted comfort, protection. Yet, she blamed them. She hated men. She hated Dark-Hunters and Squires. Mostly, she hated daimons. She blamed them all for how she had been hurt.

It took her a long time to work her way out of that rage. The quiet boiling rage. Hiding in her room, she avoided them all. And when they forced her out, she exploded.

The only thing that saved anyone from her fury was the fact that they were all highly skilled fighters and she was still a little girl.

Otto had been the only one to reach her. A teenager. Not yet a man to be feared. Not old enough to be a Squire. However, one of the family. He knew the dangers. He knew the horrors.

He had become her rock, the strength from which she was able to pull herself out of the mud that threatened to drown her. Otto had become her salvation.

As Rose watched the emotions flicker across Ethon's face, she knew the truth he was terrified to admit. "You lashed out."

His eyes closed at her words. Those three words were an immense understatement.

Warm hands cupped his face as she climbed closer to him. "Ethon, you don't need to show me. I understand." Her voice was soft and soothing. It pulled at him in ways he never expected.

"You don't understand. What I did… it was wrong. Horribly wrong."

Rose ran her fingers over the lines of his face. Tears pricked her eyes for his pain.

"Then answer me this…" She started. "When you lashed out, were you in complete control and making rational decisions?"

He shook his head. No, he was in blind rage.

"Then, I don't care what you did." She stated and his eyes snapped open.

How? How could she say that? She has no idea…

"Damn it Ethon Stark. You listen to me. My experience may not have been the same, but it was enough like yours for me to understand. The anger, the rage, the pain and fear; emotions brewing and combining like some chemistry lab making the ultimate chemical bomb. And when that goes off…" She shook her head. "My own mother wouldn't live in the same house with me for two years after my experiences. Partially out of grief and guilt. Mostly because I had no control. My anger held no sense of logic. I tried to hurt anyone that reminded me of the past and she was there through the whole damn thing."

Ethon drew a ragged breath.

"So, the darkness that we unleashed out of the pain of the past is just that, in the past." Rose slid her thumb over his cheek. "I don't care if you took great joy in ripping those bastards into rice sized pieces and danced in their entrails. I don't care if you lost yourself in the need to make them pay in every way possible. I only care that you found a way past it. That you found yourself once again. That you don't continue to let that darkness haunt you in the present."

"Never again after that day." He whispered. "Even in my heaviest battle rage and bloodlust, I only fight those that deserve it. Never would I harm the innocent again."

Her arms slid around him and held him tight. "After everything you went through, only one day of darkness is a miracle and speaks volumes of your strength. You are a far better man than you allow yourself to believe. I could never judge you for doing what I tried to do in my own past. The only difference between us was that you were a trained war leader and I was a child who couldn't do as much damage."

His arms wrapped around her as he shattered. She didn't run. She didn't hate him. She held him. Knowing the truth. She still held him.

And for the first time since Samia had left him, tears flowed in hope instead of self hatred.


	21. Chapter 21

Rose woke to the sound of a soft whimper from Ethon's room. Something she could only hear because of her demon blood. However, the sound pulled at her.

Her heart raced as she wanted to soothe his pains.

The inner demons he battled had to be profoundly horrific to affect the warrior so.

Softly, she crept toward his door. Everything in her demanded that she race into his room to comfort the man. A need, as though she knew why he cried out, desperate to help him face his torment. However, she didn't understand why.

Sure, the two of them had been growing closer. However, Rose wasn't sure he would appreciate her climbing into bed with him. Even if it was to calm him, rather than any attempt to seduce him. Of course there was always the distinct possibility that she wouldn't be able to control her hunger around him. Especially in his bed.

"Rose, come back." His strangled whimper made her breath freeze. Had they shared in a dream again?

How could she just leave him to suffer?

Climbing into the large bed, in the darkness of his room, Rosslyn ran her fingers through his hair. "Ethon, I'm here. Shhh, I'm here."

Black eyes snapped open and he rolled to pin the person who had woken him from his sleep. Ethon's heart pounded in his chest as his lungs gasped for breath from the sudden transition to the waking world. It was only after his breath slowed to a somewhat manageable pace that he realized exactly who lay under him.

Before he could stop himself, he crashed his lips onto the most precious woman he had ever laid eyes on.

Rose arched into the contact. Ethon had ignited her hunger and ramped it up to nuclear levels. Her entire body craved more of him. His skin, his touch, his release.

Her fingers moved, desperate to pull his shirt from him.

Ethon was so lost in the connection, his hand fisted in her hair, the other slid behind her back to hold her as close as possible. Not even a breath away and she felt too far. He needed her to be closer. He barely recognized what was happening until his shirt was pulled up, tangling in his arms.

Only then did he pull back from her lips, breathless. "How could I have ever found someone like you?" He questioned as he looked in her eyes, once his shirt was gone. "If I could, I would have stopped the pain of your past. But you have no idea how grateful I am for your ability to welcome me because of it."

His face buried into her neck as he nibbled on the sensitive skin.

"All things considered…" She gasped under his ministrations. "Being poisoned with demon blood and having my memories wiped, really hasn't been that bad." If only people weren't still trying to kill or torture her.

Ethon froze. ' _Memories wiped_ …' Damn it.

She wasn't the same Rose.

Even if he could go through the hell of explaining everything to her again, she had no memories of her own pain. She had no foundation to find similarity. Could she welcome him the way her dream version had?

Could he risk her learning it through the mind connection before he could explain?

No.

He had to stop.

Rose could feel the difference in Ethon suddenly. And it doused her rush quickly. However, the hunger still clawed for what it craved.

Ethon pulled back to see the glowing eyes that he knew so well. "I'm so sorry Rose. I, I- fuck, I can't keep doing this to you." He rolled over. Waves of anger and self hatred crashed into him once again.

"I shouldn't have come in." She whispered. "But I deserve an explanation." Her body shuddered in desperate need. Her arms wrapped tight around herself, trying to regain control over her hunger.

The ceiling lay above Ethon. A blank canvas. No emotions. No judgement. No fear. No repulsion.

Before he could continue to psych himself into the fears, before he could run, he rushed into the greatest risk of ambush that he had ever faced. "I went crazy and killed everyone. Brutally tortured, raped and ripped apart every person in the Spartan camp that had participated in my capture and torture. Including slaves and others who were innocent of any crimes."

The words hung in the air.

Nothing but silence filled the room for what felt like an eternity.

The bed moved as Rose rolled to sit next to Ethon. Gently, she cupped his face and turned his head to look at her. Tears rolled down her face as she asked the question he hated most. "Why?"

"I was lost." He closed his eyes once again. He couldn't stand to see her tears. They lacerated his heart with searing precision. "After Artemis resurrected me, she gave me my chance at revenge. I started out going after the man who brought me down, the man who betrayed me over nothing more than a lie. But as the blood lust settled in, I went after more of the men who participated in my torture and humiliation. Until I was blind in my rage. I didn't realize that I had killed even the slaves until after…"

His breath shuddered.

Rose's heart broke. How had he ever survived the guilt?

Leaning down, she kissed his lips in a soft and sweet effort to show him that she wasn't leaving his side. Gently, her lips moved to his eyes where his own tears brimmed. "I could never imagine the life you lived. The pain of your past. I have absolutely no ground to pass judgement on you. I only know the man that is here and now. And this man has been worried, protective, fearful, angry, and loving. An emotional man lead by his knowledge. No longer a blind man imprisoned by horrors of a time long past."

Amazed, Ethon had no other word for it. He was amazed at her acceptance of his past. In both realities.

He knew that he didn't deserve such acceptance.

* * *

Nick groaned as he opened the front door to Acheron and Chi. "Your people are fine. And I don't want you here." His teeth ground together as the sound of Rosslyn screaming out in pleasure echoed down from Ethon's room. "You know what? I changed my mind. You can stay with them while I get some fresh air."

Chi chuckled. "It's about fucking time they sorted things out."

"Well, it should have happened earlier, before the asshole hurt her." Nick's eyes flashed red and dangerous.

"Are you really going to be alright with their relationship? It's obvious you care for her." Ash asked.

The glare Nick threw should have been enough to melt steel in the burning hatred that he fought to control. He didn't owe Acheron anything. Not after everything the man had taken from Nick. Still, he answered. "If we were the same people as the first time she had been to New Orleans, I would have fought for her. As it is, there's too much risk to even think about it. I feel it. She calms me, gives me hope. Especially when we talk on the phone. However, the longer she is physically close to me, the more my skin crawls with darkness and thoughts flash to things I never want her to experience. She can be my friend, visit for short periods, stay in another room. But nothing more than an hour next to me. I won't risk more than that."

Chi sucked at her teeth. "That sounds messy."

"It am hoping that darker risk will calm once the two of them settle into something solid. When I can see that she is happy and safe. No more breaking her heart. No more bullshit. And please, fucking gods, no more hearing them!" Nick couldn't take it any more. He used his magic to flash himself out of his own home. As much as he hated to leave the Atlantean there, he couldn't handle another second of hearing Rosslyn with another man. It didn't matter if he actually wanted the two of them to be together when he was in a more rational mood.


	22. Chapter 22

Ethon grinned as he rubbed at his chest. He was out running patrols through New Orleans. Finally, returning to the work he preferred… hunting down those who fed on human souls. Wandering the streets alone.

Well…

Not really alone any more.

The spot over his heart warmed slightly. That was where Rose stayed as he patrolled.

They had chosen to bond.

Ethon had shown her everything of himself. Rose had shown him everything of herself. In both dreams and the waking world.

And through it all, they found acceptance.

It was more than Ethon had ever expected, from anyone. But his strong former Squire and current demon hybrid managed to see past all of his shit. They both knew that they would face hard times in the future. Living together for eternity was bound to cause more than a few tensions over time. However, in the face of all they had lived through already, they opted for jumping in feet first and trust each other to simply be honest.

No matter the problem, they would find a way to deal with it as long as they were honest with each other.

However, Ethon was still nervous about leaving Rose home, alone. And there hadn't been any further issues with Baron Samedi or Noir, yet nothing had been dealt with… just quietly left alone. So, he wasn't sure that taking her along with him for patrols was a good idea. He didn't trust that shit wouldn't hit the fan if she strolled around in the open. Thank the gods that Rose had offered to use her bond to attach to him.

She appeared on his skin in the form of a tattoo. A small, hand sized version of the phoenix tattoo across her back. Once Simi gave her a few tips, Rose even learned to move herself so that she settled over his heart.

His phoenix who rose from the ashes to create a new life. One that pulled him out of the ashes along with her.

"Well, aren't you just a fascinating creature?" A man's voice called down the street.

Ethon turned to watch as the older man approached him. His dark skin and suit helped him to almost blend into the night, it was the white of his shirt and teeth that were the most visible. Even with the heightened senses of a Dark-Hunter it took focus to see the man that far down the street. He was confused about why the man approached him. He was human. Nothing for him to share.

A sly grin parted the old man's lips. "You Dark-Hunters think you're the most badass things to roam the nights? Pathetic. You have no idea of what Noir is capable of."

The Dark-Hunter froze. His eyes trailed over the man as he drew close enough to really inspect. The clothing was disheveled, as if dressed in a hurry.

Tsking, the man shook his head. "That must be so frustrating to you. To see the spirits of soldiers, but know that you can't see the others. I imagine it would be like reading a book while only being allowed to read every third page. You get enough to follow, to know there is more, but unable to really know."

That was enough. "Baron Samedi, I presume?"

The man grinned with a casual acknowledgement.

"So, why possess a human? You just wanted to meet me that badly?"

The Baron narrowed his eyes on Ethon. "I will never forgive that Celtic bitch for her interference. Morginne stole something that Marie and I both wanted."

"Why is it so important to you to have children?" Ethon asked. "You are not human anymore. You haven't been in a long time."

"You never had children Dark-Hunter. You wouldn't understand."

That shocked him, he didn't know why, but it did. "You were a father in your human life?"

The old man looked away. "Many. They were my pride, my joy, my life. Without them, I have nothing of value in this eternity."

In a way, Ethon could almost respect the Voodoo Loa for his wishes. However, he had chosen to side with Noir, a primal god who threatened to have Rose brutally raped in front of him. He could never forgive that. Nor could he forgive that the Baron made that choice in hopes of kidnapping a little girl so that he could raise her to be a submissive participant in his plans to breed those children. The whole thing was disgusting and unforgivable.

"So, your point in coming here?" Ethon looked around nervous. The chat was taking too long, the voices he normally heard had gone silent. Something was very wrong.

"You forget. I'm the Baron of death. I control the spirits." Samedi chuckled at Ethon's clenched jaw. "Noir and Azura still want their pet. Take me to her and you won't suffer life as a shade."

Though the silence that followed didn't last long. Demons climbed out of the shadows. Ethon was surrounded.

The fighting was fast and fierce. The Greek prince was in no mood to play games. The bastards had threatened his girl and that pushed him right into rage. Though he fought to maintain some form of battle calm. He had been warned that if his heart rate increased or he was injured, Rose could return to human form on her own, in defense of him. And he didn't want her to be there.

Yet, it was all a hopeless endeavor when one demon managed to shove a dagger into his side. Suddenly a cloud of smoke drifted from under his shirt to form into his gorgeous demon.

"Rose, lookout." Ethon called.

"Oh my!" The Baron cackled. "You were here all along?"

Rose saw the man who laughed, a human. But she could see more. Something tinging the edges. He wasn't completely human. Since bonding with Ethon, she had found that her powers had grown. It was slow and subtle, but more.

"Take her." The Loa ordered the demons. And they descended on the girl.

Immediately, she felt the rush of power as she took on demon form. The transition caused several demons to stop. She certainly wasn't what they had expected. That made her smirk. "Surprise!" She chuckled as she went after them. She was not going to be taken again.

And as the demons fell, Rose looked up to see the old man. He was in charge. He needed to be taken down.

Just as she barreled right for him, she felt a sudden and intense searing pain across her chest.

"Rose!" Ethon screamed as he watched her fall.

Two more demons were between him and the woman he loved. They were little more than speed bumps in his desperation to get to her. Heart pounding and breath ragged. He scrambled to her side. Gently he rolled her over to see three bullet wounds seeping massive amounts of blood.

Ethon trembled as he tried to call Acheron. Anyone. He needed to find her help.

And as his eyes raised to search for the Baron, they landed on the last man he had expected to see. More figures moved in the periphery, however, Ethon couldn't take his eyes off of him.

Tears tracked down Ethon's cheeks. His rage, his blood lust, all of it boiled back up until almost nothing was left. "What kind of a father are you?" Everything in Ethon was at war. Half of him wanting to kill the man in front of him. The other half not willing to let go of his precious Rose.

Joseph Bera watched him back with heartbreak and fear. His own salty moisture ran rivers over his olive skin.

It wasn't until Acheron smacked Ethon upside the head that he snapped back to the woman in his arms. She was more important than the blood lust.

"Please Rose. You can't leave me yet." Ethon hugged her tighter.

"She won't if you give me a little room to help." Acheron pressed. "She's a demon now. She won't die that easy."

He watched nervously as Ash removed the bullets to give her a chance to heal. The second the bullets were gone and the wounds started to close, Rose fluttered her eyes open. Ethon was lost. Deep sobs shook him as he clutched her tighter to him. "I'm so sorry. I'm so very sorry."

She hissed at the pressure but didn't ask him to ease up. Rose simply curled into her worried Dark-Hunter.

"Blossom?" Otto knelt down beside them. "Gods, I'm sorry. I didn't know he would… Fuck! Please Rosslyn, please be alright. He just said he wanted to see you, to get to know the new you. I didn't think he would try to kill you."

Her hand stretched to grasp his as they all sought comfort.

Acheron stood up to face Joseph Bera. "I won't pretend to be alright with your decision. However, I won't condemn it either. It had to happen. The Baron thinks she's dead. He will tell Noir and that will keep her safe for now."

"The Baron? What?" The Squire looked up from his daughter, unable to follow the words spoken.

Swirling silver eyes narrowed on him. "Why did you shoot your daughter?"

"She was attacking a human." Those were his orders, that was what he was trained for, to protect humans.

The Atlantean shook his head. "No. She was stopping a Voodoo Loa who possessed a human. A Loa who controlled the demons on behalf of a Primal God."

The man grasped his chest as reality crashed into him. "She wouldn't have hurt the human?"

"You will never know. You shot her before she could have done anything either way. But I do have trust in your daughter, even if you don't."

* * *

Rosslyn stretched out as she rolled over in bed, only to crash into a warm body behind hers.

Yum.

She twisted until she could wrap her arms around the gorgeous blond she was committed to. His arms naturally pulled her closer before he fell back into sleep.

Her mind wandered as she snuggled with the man.

It had been a few weeks since she had been shot. It was so strange to think about. She was told that it was her father who did it, but she never saw him. Once she healed enough to look around, he was gone. It was so fucked up.

Part of her knew he reacted to the situation, out of training and fear of what she would do. Hell, she didn't even know what she would have done once she reached the man. She didn't know he was a Loa or anything. As far as she knew, he was just human with a little something else. Would she have hurt him? Worse? She didn't really know. So, how could she hate the man that tried to stop her?

Yet, knowing that he was her father. A man she had no memory of. A man who should have still known her and loved her. She wasn't sure she could forgive him.

The only benefit that came from it was that Ash was sure that Noir and Baron Samedi had moved on from trying to get her. They thought she was dead. It wouldn't stop the Baron from still trying to go after Ethon or Morgainne for whatever history they shared. However, it did slow things down. And the fact that Baron Samedi had lost so many demons in trying to go after Ethon might just push that off for a much longer while.

Good.

She seriously needed the break.

And it sounded like everyone else did as well.

Otto barely talked to his family anymore. So angry a how Rosslyn had been rejected, at how her father had tried to kill her. He just couldn't face them. Instead, he spent most of his time researching information about demons, trying to understand her new life and offer support. He argued with the Squires Council about the need to educate all Squires about demons as the number of incidents where the two groups ran into each other seemed to be increasing. And secretly, he continued to teach Rosslyn about the Squires. No matter what, she was marked as Blood Rites. If others turned to her, she needed to be prepared. And being bonded to a Dark-Hunter, really did make her an unofficial Squire anyway. Might as well know the rules.

It was a delicate balance Otto was seeking, but one he was passionate about finding. For himself, for his brothers and sisters in service, and for his cousin.

Her lips lifted as she thought of his new crusade. He was a good man. Even if he didn't show it to people very often. She hoped he would find someone one day.

In the meantime, she focused on finding her own balance between her Dark-Hunter, her growing powers, and the strange new family that she was building. If her parents ever wished to reach out to her, she would hear them out. But after being shot, she wouldn't reach out to them. Instead, she welcomed the family who mattered most in her new life. Acheron and his family. The charonet demons, especially Simi, Xirena and Xedrix. Always Otto. And Nick, who apparently put Ash through quite the ringer once he realized that Rosslyn would be hurt. It took more than just Ash to keep Nick from joining the fight and showing himself to Noir.

It was nice to know that she was protected and loved.

She might not have memories of her past. However, she had everything she needed to explore her future.

"You're thinking too loud." Ethon mumbled as he nuzzled into her hair.

"Then maybe I should get up and start breakfast, let you sleep some more."

He huffed and tightened his arms. "I'm never letting go of you my precious Rose."

Who could say no to that?

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Well, that is the end of this story. As always, I hope you enjoyed it. I do look forward to any reviews. I try to play with different types of relationships and challenges. This one was mostly written nearly a year ago, but then I realized that I really wanted this one to follow Morginne's story. I wanted to pull the Voodoo Loa across the stories. So, I put it on hold and finished Morginne's first. After that, my creative juices lead me down other directions. I only recently, found myself back to finish this off. I'm not 100% on it all, but after this long of a wait, I wanted to get it out there. So, feel free to tell me how you really feel.**

 **As always, I give credit to Sherilynn Kenyon. This is her world and these are her characters. I merely like to add on and explore the directions that she had not yet taken us down. In doing so, I do create a lot of characters. I point that out so that no one gets too confused.**

 **Characters that I created include: Rosslyn Bera, Joseph Bera, Calix, Baron Samedi, and Papa Ghedi.**

 **Characters that I created that were mentioned but not active in a scene: Erzulie Dantur, Jenna, Ramsey and Korina.**

 **All of those characters were introduced in earlier stories, except Rosslyn and her father.**

 **As life has taken me down interesting paths, I find myself side tracked from writing more DH fanfiction. Mostly, I have been trying to write my own original works in between some major life changes and packing to move to another state. So, I can't promise another story soon. However, if I do write more, do you have any requests? I am kind of thinking of playing with Otto. Maybe.**


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